BJP consolidated its poll position: Expert

PUNE: Political analyst Suhas Palshikar on Wednesday said the BJP had consolidated its performance in the 2019 general election over the 2014 Lok Saba polls.
“The BJP’s vote share in the 2019 elections was impressive and the party was able to win about 70% seats it contested. The Congress slightly improved its performance. But it was inadequate to leave an impact on the results,” he said while delivering a lecture on the recent Lok Sabha election results.The lecture was organized by the city-based Pune International Centre.
Palshikar said the Congress has been there for long, except from 2004 to 2014. “In 12 states, the main contest waas between the BJP and the Congress. Barring Punjab and Kerala, the BJP outperformed the Congress in almost all states. The coalition politics took a back seat in the 2014 elections, which continued in 2019,” he said.
Palshikar said the BJP had started its Lok Sabha election preparations a month after it faced a loss in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. “Some schemes, including the Pradhan Matri Kisan Yojana and 10% quota for economically weaker section from general category were announced. By February 2019, it was back in the contest,” he said.
“Besides those belonging to the upper castes, the OBCs too voted for the party in large numbers. The BJP also bagged huge number of votes from the economically weaker sections and rural areas,” he added.