Rahul Gandhi says Cong win is a zabardast jhatka to BJP, the latter ridicules
The Gujarat poll outcome sparked a political war of words yesterday with Congress president Rahul Gandhi calling it a "massive jolt" to the BJP, drawing ridicule from the ruling party that he was "enjoying defeat as victory" under an illusion. Gandhi also raised questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's credibility after he led his party to a narrow victory in his home state.
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Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses the media during the winter session at Parliament House yesterday. Pic/PTI
"I came to know there (in Gujarat) that people actually do not accept Modiji's model. "It was thought that the Congress will not be able to fight the BJP in Gujarat...You saw the results and it has dealt a 'zabardast jhatka' (a massive jolt) to the BJP in Gujarat," Gandhi told reporters in Delhi. "A big question has been raised on Modiji's credibility. Frankly, Modiji has a credibility problem and he will find it very difficult... Because what he is saying, his forces and his organisation are repeating that.
"But the country is not listening to that. This, the Gujarat election has shown. In the coming times, you will see this clearly," he said. Responding to Gandhi's attack, senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar claimed the poll outcome had actually jolted the Congress. "We (the BJP) won both state Assembly elections and in Gujarat for the sixth time. Actually this is a jolt for the Congress," Javadekar told reporters. He said it was the Congress which was losing its credibility among the people in the country, because of which, the party was losing election after election. "It seems Rahul is under the illusion and enjoying defeat as victory. This shows his dynastic arrogance and is an insult to the people's mandate," he said.
99 No of seats won by BJP
77 No of seats won by Congress