The South India Times
(Spcl Correspondent)
The likely final BJP victory in Gujarat (156 out of 182 that is over 54 percent) even after a 27-year rule is unprecedented. By bagging 158 seats, the BJP has broken the record of 149 won under Madhavsinh Solaki in 1985. It sets a new benchmark in the Indian electoral battle. Furthermore, the BJP has also set a new record in Gujarat by garnering 54 percent vote share. While the Congress could win 17, the AAP just 5, though it created hype of dethroning the BJP in Gujarat with its freebies, proved otherwise. AAP’s CM-face lost by over 17,000 votes.
Undeniably, the result of Gujarat elections may positively influence the outcomes in the upcoming state assembly elections in 2023 – Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana – and as well as in the Lok Sabha scheduled thereafter in 2024. That the Modi factor continues to dominate in his native Gujarat has proved beyond doubt. Modi conducted a record 50-km long road show covering as many as 16 constituencies in Ahmedabad followed by a 30-km second rally a day later. The crowds that lined up on both sides of the road clearly indicated Modi’s charisma.
Also, Amit Shah’s 10 km and party president JP Nadda’s road shows also helped the party to offset whatever little anti-incumbency factor that existed in that state.
What is more significant is also bagging seven out of nine minority Muslims dominated constituencies. Thus it disproved the allegations of the so-called secular opposition political parties that the BJP is an anti-Muslim party. Interestingly, the AIMIM which fielded around a dozen MLA nominees, got less than NOTA. Most importantly, the BJP that was in power continuously for 27-years in Gujarat has proved political analysts wrong for the party to return to power due to anti-incumbency.
In Himachal Pradesh, despite all odds, the Congress Party won 39 seats out of 68 to recapture power after BJPs 5-year rule. However, although BJP lost, it has put up a brave fight by polling just less than a point vote-share difference with the Congress Party and managing to win 27 seats, which by no means is a small achievement. One could see a fall of 6 percent vote share of the BJP, while the Congress could increase just 1.5 percent, yet win 39 seats against 26 of the BJP.
Meanwhile, the Congress, though getting a majority in Himachal Pradesh has once again opted to resort to politics, by shitting all those who are likely to win, in a chartered flight. In fact, the AAP had carried out a high-decibel campaign to make it a three-way fight for the first time in Gujarat where the Congress and the BJP have been traditional rivals. Emboldened by the victory in the Delhi municipal elections, the AAP had hoped its politics of welfarism will be accepted by the people in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the Congress, though getting a majority in Himachal Pradesh, once again opt to resort to politics, by shitting all those who are likely to win, in a chartered flight. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday accepted defeat in the hill state even as votes were being counted. He also took an apparent dig at the grand old party amid comments by Congress leaders on the anticipation of horse-trading of MLAs. “Their MLAs have been elected. Now it’s their job to protect them. It’s their job to protect the majority,” he was heard saying in a televised briefing.
“We accept people’s mandate. Our end goal is development, and that should happen,” he added. “I also thank the people of the state for huge voter turnout this time and I also thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support for the state’s development. There was development in every area.” He also said that he would soon be submitting his resignation to Governor Acharya Dev Vrat soon.
Congratulating the Congress, he further said, “I hope they will deliver on the promises they made. We will continue to raise issues of the public. In this election, another important thing is that the margin was very low, less than 1,000. The vote-share has a difference of just 1 per cent.” On the AAP’s poll performance, he said: “There was no party presence of the party.”
