Congress must concede Gujarat defeat: BJP

AHMEDABAD:The Gujarat BJP on Wednesday said the Congress must concede its defeat in the just-concluded polls in the state because voters gave a “clear cut” mandate to the ruling party to form the next government.

The BJP’s statement came in the wake of assertions by Congress leaders that their party has recorded a moral victory in the state. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the Gujarat results were a “zabardast jhatka” (massive jolt) to the BJP, which narrowly won the polls.

Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani said the opposition party must admit defeat in the state polls, which saw the BJP winning 99 seats in the 182member assembly, down from 115 in 2012, and the Congress bagging 77, a gain of 16 seats.

Vaghani accused Congress leaders of trying to protect their newly elected president by only

CONGRESS PRESIDENT RAHUL GANDHI ON TUESDAY SAID THE GUJARAT RESULTS WERE A “ZABARDAST JHATKA” (MASSIVE JOLT) TO THE BJP, WHICH NARROWLY WON THE POLLS.

projecting the rise in seats and not highlighting defeat, both in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

“While fighting the election in Gujarat, the Congress did not say they want to be in the opposition after the polls. They used to say that entire Gujarat is unhappy (with the BJP) and people were impressed with Rahul Gandhi. Now, when they lost, they must admit their defeat,” he told reporters here.

“The Congress just cannot win (polls). Neither in states where they were in power nor where they were in the opposition,” he said.