Results a precursor to 2019 Lok Sabha elections, says Gujarat Congress

Leading political parties are divided over the impact of results of elections for five state Legislative Assemblies. The ruling party, BJP said that today's results will not have any impact on the elections for Lok Sabha to be held in 2019. But the Opposition, Congress has said that the results are a precursor to the upcoming general elections.

Gujarat BJP Spokesperson Bharat Pandya said, "There was a false campaign of anti-incumbancy in three states but there is a mindset in Rajasthan that they change mandate in every five years. Till last night, Congress leaders made much hue and cry over alleged tampering of EVMs by the BJP. But now they do not remember the issue. They always tried to defame BJP by all sorts of way. We are not afraid of these results and we will not deviate too. We accept the mandate given by voters in all five states."

Gujarat Congress termed the results as a setback to BJP and said that the tide is turning against the ruling party in India. The party said that Congress is emerging as a powerful and a coherent political force under the leadership of party president Rahul Gandhi. "The setback for BJP in elections is a testimony of its anti-farmers and anti-youth policies. Its policies have virtually destroyed small enterprises, brought in inflation and resulted in a large scale corruption. Voters have rejected them as they gave only false promises. Despite PM Modi addressing rallies, the party has suffered a setback," said Amit Chavda, president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC).

Veteran politician and former CM Shankersinh Vaghela said, "Results explain the victory of voters and have slapped a few leaders — who claim that they would rule for the next 50 years — on the face. BJP's mentality is to win polls through money and muscle power but voters have seen red for that. This is the clear impact of wrong moves like GST and DeMo."