Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership on Saturday said that riding on the goodwill of social schemes implemented by the Narendra Modi government, the party will not only return to power with a thumping majority in four states but will vastly improve its performance in Punjab.
The BJP is in power in Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand, where polling has concluded, and in Uttar Pradesh (UP), where the seventh and final phase of the elections will be held on March 7. In Punjab, the party is contesting with a new ally - Capt. Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress.
"PM Modi has ended politics that was based on appeasement, caste and dynasty and started politics of performance," said Union home minister Amit Shah, addressing the media along with BJP national president JP Nadda.
"In the last 7.5 years of the BJP government, for the first time, people have realised that an elected government wants to lift their standard of living. From power to clean water to Ayushman Bharat Cards and free ration, there has been a slew of schemes drafted and implemented," Shah added.
He further said that the outcome of not only drafting but ensuring the timely implementation of the government schemes has reflected in the positive response the party's campaign has received in all five states. "In UP, where schemes were implemented on paper, things are seen happening on the ground. It was satisfying to hear people say they received benefits. There is evidence that these schemes have benefitted us," Shah said.
Nadda, for his part, said, "Wherever we were in government, people have made up their mind to bring BJP back with a majority, this we can make out from the election campaign."
He added the party's performance in Punjab will be "better than expected."
Policies to mainstream the poor and the deprived have earned party support from the people, said the BJP president.
"Our campaign was smooth and exhaustive and one that was responsive by touching on all issues."
Meanwhile, Shah said that the ongoing evacuation of Indian citizens from war-torn Ukraine will have a positive impact on the elections.
"...there is a positive impact as PM Modi took swift steps. Since January, we have been on this. On February 14, we issued an advisory, followed by helplines, and several people were evacuated. 13,000 plus are already back in India," he said.
Shah also praised the party leaders for carrying out a "well organised, scientific poll campaign", amid restrictions imposed due to the Covid pandemic.
"As is the tradition since the Jan Sangh, the election is not just a time to form a government but to spread the party's ideology and to listen to people and take that as input for framing policies," he said.
He credited the decrease in crime rate in Uttar Pradesh for paving the way for BJP's return to power and said the exit of Other Backward Classes (OBC) leaders does not indicate any shift in the support base.
"There has been some shadow of the third wave (on polling), but there has been no change in the voter turnout. In 2017 we came to power making promises. Now we are going to polls having fulfilled those..." he added.
Both leaders said the year-long farmers' agitation against the government's contentious three agricultural laws will not have an impact on the polls and nor will the BJP need support from other parties after the polls.
"There is no kaante ki takar (tough fight). Such an environment is common before polls. We will not need post-poll support," Shah said, adding, "...if anyone says the result will be diluted they will be disappointed. We will come with a prachand bahumat (thumping majority)."
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