New Delhi: BJP and its NDA partners Saturday hailed the Delhi victory as an endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership while the Congress asserted that it was a referendum on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and not Modi’s policies.
The Congress also lashed out at those criticising it for contesting against Aam Aadmi Party, saying they didn’t give “these lectures on Opposition unity to AAP when the party went to Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, etc to fight elections and weaken anti-communal, secular vote”.
Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the “meltdown” of a section is completely bizarre and said the Delhi election result is a “rejection of the Trojan horse that attempted to damage the liberal cause” across the country.
“Majority of liberals are rightly cheering the fall of the facade so that the real champion of liberal values – the Indian National Congress – can emerge stronger to take the BJP on and defeat it,” Khera said on X.
Internal bickering came to the fore within the INDIA bloc, with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah taking a jibe after both the Congress and AAP lost.
“Aur lado aapas mein!!!” (Keep on fighting each other),” the NC leader said on X.
Most of the other constituents of the INDIA bloc were silent on the Delhi poll verdict.
The BJP staged a massive win in Delhi as it bagged 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly. AAP, which enjoyed a brute majority in the last two terms, was reduced to 22 seats, while the Congress failed to open its account for the third consecutive time.
Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, and NDA partners showered praise on PM Modi’s leadership and Home Minister Amit Shah’s strategies for BJP’s victory in the Delhi Assembly elections.
The NCP, Shiv Sena and Lok Janshakti Party (RV) credited Shah for drafting “accurate” poll strategies that ensured the saffron party’s return to power in Delhi after more than 26 years.
Congratulating the Bharatiya Janata Party for its huge victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “The people of Delhi have expressed their full faith in the able leadership of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji.”
“Many congratulations to the respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for this historic victory,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the results “stand as a resounding endorsement of the progressive policies of the NDA government”.
“This victory in Delhi, which follows Haryana and Maharashtra, reflects the continued trust and confidence of the people in the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, and his devotion to building a Viksit Bharat.
“I am confident that this mandate will usher in a new era of growth, development, and prosperity for our national capital,” Naidu said on X.
“The voters have once again handed the Congress, which falsely claimed that the Constitution and elections are all in crisis, a complete defeat. Their lie has been defeated and the voters have fully supported the truth,” Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shive Sena leader Eknath Shinde said.
The BJP lost power in 1998 to the Congress, which ruled the national capital for the next three terms and then AAP remained in power for over a decade.
BJP’s allies said that Delhi voters have rejected the Congress that had questioned the election process and had claimed that the Constitution was under attack.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that it is a victory of faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the policies of the BJP.
Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said it was a stamp of approval on the policies of all-round development pursued by Prime Minister Modi.
“This is a victory of development and good governance,” Gadkari said.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the people of Delhi have put an end to the politics of lies and theatrics pursued by the AAP.
“Farmers in the national capital were tired of the ‘AAP-da’ government. Now the farmers will benefit from the policies of the Central government,” Chouhan, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, said.
The BJP had deployed several Chief Ministers, leaders from across the country, and NDA partners for election campaigning in Delhi.
Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), Nayab Singh Saini (Haryana), Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and Bhajanlal Sharma (Rajasthan) were seen camping in the national capital, addressing public meetings and holding roadshows for BJP candidates.
Accepting the verdict of the people, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party did the groundwork to oust the AAP government in public interest, but the “public did not give us the mandate as expected”.
“Every Congress leader and worker worked unitedly under adverse circumstances, but more hard work and struggle is still required,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he humbly accepts the mandate of Delhi as he thanked party workers and voters.
In a post on X, he said the fight for the progress of Delhi and against pollution, price rise and corruption will continue.
“We humbly accept the mandate of Delhi. Heartfelt thanks to all the Congress workers of the state for their dedication and all the voters for their support,” he said in his post in Hindi.
“This fight for the progress of Delhi and the rights of Delhiites – against pollution, price rise and corruption – will continue,” Gandhi said.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the assembly election results reflected nothing more than a referendum on Kejriwal and AAP.
Noting that AAP won in Delhi at the height of Prime Minister’s popularity in 2015 and 2020, it shows that, “rather than being vindication of the policies of the Prime Minister, this vote is a rejection of Arvind Kejriwal’s politics of deceit, deception, and vastly exaggerated claims of achievement.”
“The Congress was expecting to do better. It has, however, increased its vote share. The campaign of the Congress was vigorous. It may not be in the assembly but it is definitely a presence in Delhi, a presence that will be expanded electorally with the sustained efforts of lakhs of Congress workers,” Ramesh said.
“There will be a Congress government once again in Delhi in 2030,” he asserted.
Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Ajit Pawar (NCP), K Rammohan Naidu (TDP), and Chirag Paswan (LJSP-RV) also credited the “charismatic” appeal of Modi and the “meticulous” strategising of Shah for BJP’s victory in the national capital.
“BJP got this success due to the trust in Narendra Modi’s leadership and the accurate management of Amit Shah,” NCP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also congratulated Modi, Shah and BJP chief J P Nadda for BJP’s success in Delhi polls.
“Modi ji’s guarantees have worked wonders in Delhi… After Maharashtra, the voters of Delhi have expressed faith in the leadership of Modi. The victory run of the BJP continues,” Shiv Sena leader Shinde said.
He said the voters of Delhi have averted a “disaster” and also taught a lesson to the Congress, which made false claims of the Constitution being in danger.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said people have fully rejected the misgovernance of the Aam Aadmi Party.
TDP leader and Union minister K Rammohan Naidu said BJP’s massive mandate reflected the people’s trust in a responsible and accountable government that is committed to delivering on its promises.
“With a double-engine Sarkar in state and Centre, the capital region is set to soar to new heights of prosperity and growth. Together, the NDA government will fulfil the aspirations of every Delhiite and build a stronger, brighter future for our great city,” Naidu said.
PTI