New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday attributed the party’s stunning win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly polls to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him the “most popular leader since independence”.
Modi himself described the big victories as “very humbling and overwhelming”. Top leaders of the party, which captured power in UP with an unprecedented three-fourths majority, ascribed the win to the Modi government’s “pro-poor policies” like Jan Dhan and demonetisation. State BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said the ‘Modi wave’ has catapulted the party to power in a big way.
Shah also asserted that the poll outcome will change the course of country’s politics, marking the end of the politics of caste, nepotism and appeasement, and the beginning of the politics of performance. Buoyed by the mandate received by the BJP, Modi termed it “very humbling and overwhelming” and thanked the people for their “continued faith and support”.
“Am overjoyed that BJP has received unprecedented support from all sections of society. Huge support from the youth is gladdening. Gratitude to the people of India for the continued faith, support and affection for the BJP. This is very humbling & overwhelming,” he said in a series of tweets.
Modi most popular leader since independence
Addressing a packed press conference in the national capital, Shah said even opposition parties will admit that Modi has emerged as the country’s “most popular leader since independence” after these victories.
Will form Govt in Goa, Manipur
He also asserted that BJP will form government in Goa and Manipur, where no party has got a clear majority. The party’s Parliamentary Board will meet on Sunday to finalise the names of chief ministerial nominees.
Terming the poll verdict that marked the party’s return to power after 15 years of political wilderness as historic, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said it is an endorsement of the central government’s policies and the poor have shifted their allegiance to the BJP. “BJP’s landslide victory in assembly elections has again established that people of India want development as pushed by Modi,” he said.
Terming the massive win in Uttar Pradesh as the victory of the policies of the Modi government and a thumbs up to its two-and-half year rule, Smriti Irani said in BJP merit wins over dynasty.
The Union Textile Minister also took a dig at Rahul and Priyanka, saying this is a failure of both the Congress leaders.
Attributing the victories to the Modi-led government’s good governance and good delivery of promises, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “The poor have given a decisive verdict that Modi is our leader and is working for our welfare.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that the party won the elections due to the credibility of Prime Minister Modi. (PTI)
