Opposition will fight for democracy in Gujarat: Madhya Pradesh Congress

BHOPAL: Despite the defeat in the Gujarat assembly elections on Monday, the Madhya Pradesh Congress termed it as nothing short of a victory.
Since early morning, Congress workers and local leaders huddled into a room on the ground floor of the PCC headquarters and sat in front of a television set. Switching between the news channels, they cheered every time the Congress overtook the BJP during the initial rounds of vote counting.
With elections due in Madhya Pradesh next November, Gujarat was crucial for the Congress here which has been out of power for three terms.
State Congress president Arun Yadav took a dig at the BJP even before the final tally was out.
“When the issue was Pakistan, how can the BJP claim `Jeeta Vikas, Jeeta Gujarat (Development’s victory, Gujarat won).’ We accept the mandate but the party that vowed a Congress-free India, was routed by the Congress in the Prime Minister’s hometown. Victory for the BJP has been by a few seats which can be counted with fingers. BJP’s brand ambassador Modi and his magic has been vanquished by voters,” Yadav’s tweet read.
Congress was elated that BJP lost Unjha which comprises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hometown Vadnagar.
Leader of opposition Ajay Singh said that Gujarat results are a moral defeat for the BJP.
“Compared to the 2012 election, Congress’ vote share has increased by 3% and BJP has been reduced from three figures to two,” Ajay Singh said.
“All claims of the Gujarat model by BJP have been exposed. BJP national president Amit Shah claimed party’s win with 150 seats but his booth management strategy has been rejected by the voters. Results clearly show that people are highly displeased with the three and half years of NDA rule at the Centre,” the Singh said.
Ajay Singh added that it should be a source of concern for Prime Minister Narendra Modi that while Rahul Gandhi toiled alone for the Congress party, the BJP deployed the Union cabinet along with the entire organisation and seven lakh RSS activists. Even after this, they could not ensure a graceful and dignified victory.
Singh said, Congress accepts the mandate of the people but foul-play also cannot be ruled out. He was alleging that EVM tampering is not impossible.
Congress leaders said that after Gujarat, countdown seems to have started for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh too.
State PCC chief spokesperson KK Mishra said, “What you see as a defeat, is in fact a victory for us.
Gujarat is from where Prime Minister Modi emerged as a political leader, BJP chief Amit Shah is also from there. They boasted of a Congress-mukt Bharat and yet the PM in these elections had to campaign like a ward councillor of a local municipal corporation.
For 22 years, Gujarat saw the death of democratic rule in the state. Now there is a sizable Congress opposition which will raise its voice for democracy, for uplift of the poor, Dalits, minorities and backwards. That is a victory.”