Confident to win majority in Maharashtra and Haryana, the BJP on Wednesday said the people have voted for “susashan” and “vikas” unrolled in last four months by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and roundly rejected “corruption” and “misrule” of the Congress and NCP in the two States.
Speaking to the Press after the completion of polling, BJP general secretary JP Nadda said the “ trend” in both the States has made it clear that the country and States have accepted “the credible leadership of Modi”. “His popularity has been converted into votes by people,” Nadda said adding people have voted for good governance of the BJP. People in both the States want to replace the incumbent Governments by way of ballots, he said. Even after the polling, the BJP was seen to be averse to retaliate against the Shiv Sena which remained unrelenting in its attack against its erstwhile ally. Asked if the BJP would contact Sena after the polls, Nadda said, “BJP is getting a clear majority in Maharashtra.”
He said the high percentage of voter turnout showed that people were keen for a change in both the States. Asked if the BJP was in favour of delaying the polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP leader said the party would go by the decision of the Election Commission. Top sources in the BJP maintained that Sena was part of the NDA at the Centre and none ever asked it to exit from the alliance and that Ananth Geethe was still a central minister. They dispelled apprehensions that the era of coalition in the form of the NDA was on its way out after the exit of JD (U) and the breaking of the BJP-Sena alliance in Maharashtra. “NDA has 23 parties in its fold,” they said. On Modi continuing his “wave of popularity” post-lok Sabha polls, they said there was no doubt about the popularity of the Prime Minister but sought to add “ election is not the only parameter of popularity (of an individual)”.
On whether a few more senior central leaders like Nadda may join the Modi Cabinet, the sources said that was a “prerogative of the Prime Minister”.