It’s 0-5 for modI party
‘Humbled’ modi concedes defeat in key state polls, congratulates opposition
new delhi — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conceded defeat on Tuesday for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in key state elections held ahead of national polls next year.
“We accept the people’s mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people,” Modi said on Twitter.
Initial results on Tuesday from
elections earlier this month and in November showed the BJP losing power in the central state of Chhattisgarh and in Rajasthan in the west.
The chief ministers from both states, both from Modi’s BJP, conceded defeat, while in Madhya Pradesh the outcome was on a knife-edge.
“Mr Modi sold a vision to the country five years ago. India had the patience to give them five years. But they have failed,” Congress president Rahul Gandhi said. —
We accept the people’s mandate with humility. Congratulations to the Congress for their victories. Congratulations to KCR for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front for their impressive victory in Mizoram Narendra Modi
We have defeated the BJP now and we will defeat it in 2019. Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to heartbeat of the country. Selection of CMs for Raj, Chhattisgarh and MP will be done smoothly Rahul Gandhi
India’s ruling party was set to lose power in three key states on Tuesday, dealing Prime Minister Narendra Modi his biggest defeat since he took office in 2014 and boosting the opposition ahead of national polls next year.
The results in the heartland rural states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh could force the federal government run by Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to raise spending in the countryside, where more than two-thirds of India’s 1.3 billion people live.
Prime Minister Modi conceded defeat for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in key state elections held ahead of national polls next year.
“We accept the people’s mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people,” Modi said on Twitter.
On Tuesday, celebrations erupted outside the Congress party headquarters in New Delhi, with supporters dancing, setting off fircrackers and brandishing posters praising Gandhi.
“We are going to provide the states with a vision and a government they can be proud of,” Gandhi said.
“There is a feeling among people that the promises made by the prime minister ... have not been fulfilled.”
In line with exit polls, the Congress appeared to be returning to power after a five-year gap in Rajasthan, the country’s largest state which has not re-elected a ruling party in recent times.
Congress candidates were ahead in 87 of the 199 constituencies, gaining around 60 seats, while the BJP was leading in 70 seats but heavily losing in over 50 constituencies.
And in a reversal of trends, the Congress overtook the BJP in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Both states the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ruled for 15 years.
Congress nominees were ahead of others in 75 seats and the BJP in 60 in the battle for the 230-member Assembly. While the Congress made major gains across the state, the BJP was losing many seats it has held for long.
In Chhattisgarh, the Congress was ahead in 44 of the 90 seats, giving a fright to the BJP, whose Chief Minister Raman Singh was at one time trailing in the vote count from Rajnandgaon before he overtook his rivals later. BJP candidates were ahead in 25 seats in Chhattisgarh.
Congress said it was confident it could form governments in all three big states. The BJP previously ruled all three, for three terms in two of them.
Investors said the BJP had not fared as badly as feared, and nationally would still likely have an edge over an opposition coalition in the general election.
“A disappointing set of state election results ... suggests that the ruling national party has lost some goodwill,” London-based economic research consultancy, Capital Economics, said in a note.
“That said, we maintain our view that the BJP will secure victory in the general election, which would allow PM Modi to get his reform agenda back on track after a lacklustre 2018.”
A lawmaker for the BJP said it had erred in focusing its campaign on partisan themes, such as the building of a Hindu temple at a site disputed by Muslims, instead of offering jobs and growth. —