Saffron party retains Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur

New Delhi: The BJP is set to retain all four states it ruled, with a sparkling victory in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh while. AAP swept Punjab wiping out the ruling Congress.
With the BJP sweeping the latest round of assembly polls in fours states, its leaders credited the performance to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who asserted that the verdict highlighted people’s strong approval for the party’s pro-poor and proactive governance model, while the beleaguered Congress sought to put up a brave face, saying it may have lost elections but not its courage.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which received a thumping mandate in the Punjab polls, hailed its performance as a “revolution” and announced its presence on the national political landscape.
The BJP raced towards a second straight win in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh with significant margin and strongly dominated the score chart in Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa.
Lauding BJP workers for ensuring an early Holi for the BJP by making it victorious in four states, Modi said,”It is a day of zest and festivities and this enthusiasm is for India’s democracy.”
The election results highlight people’s stamp of strong approval for the party’s pro-poor and proactive governance model, he said amid cheering party workers and supporters at the party’s headquarter here.
Those who look at UP through prism of caste insult it, Modi said, adding that the people of state repeatedly voted for politics of development since 2014.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said people have buried the politics of caste and religion by ensuring the victory of BJP and its allies in Uttar Pradesh under Modi’s leadership.
Addressing party workers at the state headquarters after the splendid poll performance, he said the “misleading” campaign run by the Opposition have been set aside by the people who reposed faith in the good governance of the BJP.
Asserting that the BJP’s “grand victory” in Uttar Pradesh is the result of the people’s faith in Prime Minister Modi’s welfare programmes for villages, the poor and farmers, Union home minister Amit Shah also said the people in the state have put their stamp on Yogi Adityanath’s good governance and an administration free from fear and corruption.
In a series of tweets, the senior BJP leader expressed his gratitude to the people of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa for reposing their faith in the BJP.
Lauding Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda said,”the prime minister has ushered in politics of “report card, development and people’s empowerment, replacing politics of nepotism, corruption, crime, casteism, communalism and regionalism”.
He also praised Yogi Adityanath for bringing what he described as rule of law in the state.
Union minister Anurag Thakur, a BJP co-incharge for the UP polls, said Modi’s image and governance coupled with effective implementation of his welfare policies by the party-ruled states have delivered victory.
Several BJP leaders also lauded the UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath for effectively implementing welfare policies and providing efficient and clean governance.
After the defeat in assembly polls in five states, the Congress said the election results are contrary to the party’s expectations.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the party humbly accepts the people’s verdict in the assembly polls and will learn from it.
“Humbly accept the people’s verdict. Best wishes to those who have won the mandate. My gratitude to all Congress workers and volunteers for their hard work and dedication. We will learn from this and keep working for the interests of the people of India,” Gandhi said on Twitter.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarter here, Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party may have lost elections but not its courage and will continue to fight till it emerges victorious.
He also said the Congress will reinvent and return with a new strategy and will always stand with the people, raising their issues, including inflation, unemployment and the “sinking” economy, with the same responsibility.
“We will introspect on the causes of defeat, work on the organisation and will try to do better in future. We are definitely disappointed but not demoralised. We have only lost the election, not courage. We are not going anywhere – we will keep fighting until we win. We will reinvent and return and will come back with a new strategy,” Surjewala told reporters.
Hailing the AAP’s performance in Punjab as a “revolution”, party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said with their huge mandate, the people have said that Kejriwal is not a terrorist.
While addressing AAP leaders and workers at the party headquarter here, the Delhi Chief Minister also asked them to practice politics of love and said the coming days belong to India.
Aam Aadmi Party chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann Punjab said the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet will be held at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Nawanshahr district.
The thrust areas for his government, he said, would be improving the condition of schools, health infrastructure, bringing back industry, making agriculture profitable, providing security to women and improving sports infrastructure.
Reacting to poll results, outgoing Punjab chief minister Charanjit Channi said, “I humbly accept the verdict of the people of Punjab and Congratulate @AamAadmiParty and their elected CM @BhagwantMann Ji for the victory. I hope they will deliver on the expectations of people.”
State Congress chief Navjot Sidhu said the party humbly accepts the mandate of the people of the state. “The voice of the people is the voice of God . Humbly accept the mandate of the people of Punjab . Congratulations to Aap !!!” he said in a tweet.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said his party accepts the mandate given by the people with humility. Sukhbir also congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party.
Swaraj India president and former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav termed the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s performance in Punjab as “spectacular and extraordinary”, but said it’s more “an indictment” of the “entire political establishment” rather than the success of a party in the electoral battle. PTI

Press Trust of India