BHOPAL: After losing to the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur in Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, Congress veteran
Digvijaya Singh said Friday that ideology of the assassin of
Mahatma Gandhi has triumphed in the country.
Thakur, a Malegaon blast accused, had created a stir during the campaign when she called
Nathuram Godse
, Gandhi's assassin, a "patriot". Later she apologized for the remark.
"According to the traditions of Indian democracy, I accept the mandate. But it is cause for concern for me that the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi's killer has won in the country and the ideology of Gandhi, which gave peace to this country, has lost," Singh told reporters here.
"Congress will move on the path of truth, love, non- violence and harmony, and we wish the country goes on same path," Singh added.
Taking potshots at the BJP, he said the party's slogan in 2014 was to cross 280-mark while this time it was `Abki Bar, 300 Par' (300 plus this time).
"I want to know what magic wand BJP leaders possess so that they know the result even before the voting. I congratulate them for this," he said.
The BJP won 303 seats in the just-concluded general election.
The Congress leader also said it was unfortunate that black money and unemployment did not become issues in the election, "or the BJP would not have got even 180 seats."
The BJP made national security the central issue and made people feel that they were voting for the country and not for Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, Singh said.
The saffron party, which talked a lot about development earlier, did not seek votes on that issue, he said.
About a possible threat to the Congress government in
Madhya Pradesh
after the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha polls, Singh said, "The BJP cannot digest the fact that a Congress government is formed in the state.
"Our MLAs are being lured with offers of crores of rupees. But neither our MLAs nor SP, BSP and independent MLAs who are supporting us would be tempted," he said.
Asked about huge victory margins of BJP candidates, Singh quipped, "These are EVM results."