For Nitin Gadkari, the Congress’s poor showing in the 2012 Assembly polls is a pointer to a definite showdown between the national parties in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
For BJP president Nitin Gadkari, the Congress’s poor showing in the 2012 Assembly polls is a pointer to a definite showdown between the national parties in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “We will be getting ready for 2014,” he announced, even as he dismissed Manipur of no consequence in national politics.
At a press conference attended by BJP office-bearers, Tarun Vijay, Vijay Goel, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ananth Kumar, PK Hadda, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Prakash Javadekar and Aarti Mehra, the BJP president conceded defeat in Uttar Pradesh, but took pride in the victory of Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab. Further, he claimed that the clear victory in Goa, which included seven Catholic Christians, proved the BJP was not a communal, anti-minority party. Certain of a victory in Uttarkhand, Gadkari complimented SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akali chief Parkash Singh Badal for their wins in UP and Punjab respectively.
Admitting to a less-than-expected performance, he said a review will be taken up. Refusing to accept that the two national parties — the Congress and the BJP — had been marginalised in context of UP, Gadkari said the UP vote is a rejection of the corrupt BSP government and people went for SP as it was a clear and viable regional alternative.
Interestingly, the BJP hoped to benefit from the Congress’ “communal politics” based on the promise of reservation for OBC Muslims made by Union ministers, Salman Khurshid and Beni Prasad Varma. It expected communal polarisation, as a consequence, to increase its tally. But the majority community in the state did not oblige the Hindutva party. The BJP is maintaining a tactical silence in the matter.
The BJP feels that the Congress’ poor performance in UP and the defeat in Punjab and Goa is a clear “sign of the anti-Congress mood across the country which will only increase in the next two years”. A senior BJP leader said that Congress’ position in the Budget session will become shakier than ever and that the government will fall much earlier before the term ends.
Another party leader and a former Union minister said that there is no scope for a third front and that a coalition centred round BJP would be the viable alternative to Congress and UPA in 2014.
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