While the Congress and its INDIA allies have been in celebratory mode over what they term is the “moral defeat” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior BJP leaders told News18 that this was ironic given the opposition alliance had grossly failed in achieving its targets.
“The opposition alliance and Rahul Gandhi openly proclaimed that they will touch 295 seats. Arvind Kejriwal gave it in writing that the BJP will only touch 190 seats; Rahul Gandhi also proclaimed that the BJP will only get 180-200 seats. All of these proclamations were way off the mark, but Gandhi is not being questioned on that,” a senior BJP leader told News18. The BJP won 240 seats, while the opposition alliance could only touch the mark of 234 seats, he added.
The BJP has been under attack from the Opposition for failing to achieve the ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ target for the NDA.
The Congress finished at 99 seats, and could not touch triple figures as many in the party were speculating. PM Narendra Modi has already pointed out that the opposition alliance with 234 seats is lesser than the BJP’s solo count of 240 seats and it is only after 1961 that a government will be repeating a third term. The Congress, in fact, was wiped out of certain key states like Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, and could just win one seat apiece in West Bengal and Odisha. The BJP notched up the same tally as Congress in Telangana, a state that the latter had won five months ago, and Congress could only win nine seats in Karnataka where it is in power too.
BJP leaders, however, concede that the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra results have been well below expectations and call for serious introspection. The party was also expecting the setback in Haryana and Rajasthan where local issues took precedence and BJP’s state leadership was found to be wanting.
“The fact, however, remains that Narendra Modi will take oath as PM for the third time over the weekend with full support of the NDA allies, and the opposition alliance has decided not to stake claim to power knowing well that it does not have the numbers. That is the bottom line of this Lok Sabha election,” another BJP leader told News18.
