{"id":42817,"date":"2017-12-22T01:28:06","date_gmt":"2017-12-22T09:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=42817"},"modified":"2017-12-22T01:28:06","modified_gmt":"2017-12-22T09:28:06","slug":"war-of-words-after-bjps-narrow-gujarat-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/war-of-words-after-bjps-narrow-gujarat-win\/","title":{"rendered":"War of Words After BJP\u2019s Narrow Gujarat Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addresses a crowd during his visit to Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK) at Nani Devti village, some 40 km from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Nov. 24. (Sam Panthaky\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n

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The Gujarat poll outcome sparked a political war of words, Dec. 19, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi calling it a \u201cmassive jolt\u201d to the BJP, drawing ridicule from the ruling party that he was \u201cenjoying defeat as victory\u201d under an illusion.<\/p>\n

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The BJP win by a reduced margin, Dec. 18, also led its key ally Shiv Sena to launch a stinging attack on its senior partner, saying it was a \u201cwarning bell\u201d to those who believed in an autocratic rule and that \u201cthe much-touted Gujarat model has shaken.\u201d Gandhi also hit out at Modi\u2019s Gujarat model of development, calling it \u201cgood propaganda and able marketing,\u201d but which is \u201chollow from within.\u201d<\/p>\n

The BJP fought off a strong challenge from Congress to win the Gujarat assembly polls for the sixth straight time since 1995.<\/p>\n

The BJP won 99 seats in the 182-member assembly, down from 115 it won in 2012, and far lower than the 150-plus seats it had hoped for. It is also for the first time that the BJP\u2019s tally slipped below the 100-mark since the party formed its maiden government on its own in 1995.<\/p>\n

The Congress, spearheaded by Gandhi, won 77 seats, up by 16 seats.<\/p>\n

Gandhi also raised questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s credibility after he led his party to a narrow victory in his home state.<\/p>\n

He claimed the Gujarat results indicated that the country was not listening to Modi anymore and took a dig at his Gujarat model of development.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to know there (in Gujarat) that people actually do not accept Modiji\u2019s model.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was thought that the Congress will not be able to fight the BJP in Gujarat…You saw the results and it has dealt a \u2018zabardast jhatka\u2019 (a massive jolt) to the BJP in Gujarat,\u201d Gandhi told reporters in Delhi.<\/p>\n

The new Congress president called the poll outcome a \u201cvery good result\u201d and a moral victory for his party. \u201cWe lost, but we could have won…but fell short by a small margin.<\/p>\n

\u201cA big question has been raised on Modiji\u2019s credibility.<\/p>\n

Frankly, Modiji has a credibility problem and he will find it very difficult… Because what he is saying, his forces and his organization are repeating that.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the country is not listening to that. This, the Gujarat election has shown. In the coming times, you will see this clearly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (c) speaks to Gujarat State Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani (r) in the presence of Bhartiya Janta Party President Amitbhai Shah (l) during Gujarat Gaurav Mahasamellan at Bhaat village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Oct. 16. (Sam Panthaky\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Talking of credibility, he said while Modi spoke \u201cnon-stop\u201d about corruption, he never uttered a word about Jay Shah (BJP chief Amit Shah\u2019s son) or Rafale fighter jet deal, which the Congress claims was against the country\u2019s interest and encouraged crony capitalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe country wants to know that you talked non-stop of corruption. Jay Shah, son of Amit Shah, turned Rs 50,000 into 80 crores in three months, there has been a scam in Rafale deal, why don\u2019t you talk of this. This is the credibility issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Gandhi said Gujarat sent out a message to the BJP and Modi that the \u201canger\u201d within them would not work.<\/p>\n

The Congress chief, who vigorously campaigned in Gujarat, said in three months the state and its people taught him one thing that one can defeat opponents only with love and brotherhood, and not anger, money or force.<\/p>\n

Mahatma Gandhi told this to the country and this feeling is embedded deeply in Gujarat.<\/p>\n

\u201cGujarat has given a message to Modi ji and the BJP that the anger within you will not help you and love will defeat it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

To a question about Modi\u2019s assertion that the BJP\u2019s win was an endorsement of his development agenda and economic reforms like the GST, the Congress president said, \u201cIt is strange as in his poll speeches he did not talk about development, nor about GST and note ban.\u201d<\/p>\n

Responding to Gandhi\u2019s attack, senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar claimed the poll outcome had actually jolted the Congress.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe (the BJP) won both state Assembly elections and in Gujarat for the sixth time. Actually, this is a jolt for the Congress,\u201d Javadekar told reporters shortly after Gandhi\u2019s attack on Modi and the BJP.<\/p>\n

The minister also alleged that the Congress tried to adopt divisive politics in Gujarat. However, people put their faith in Modi and in his development agenda, he said.<\/p>\n

Javadekar said he was amused to hear that the Congress president had described the results as a big jolt to the BJP.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems Rahul is under the illusion and enjoying defeat as victory. This shows his dynastic arrogance and is an insult to the people\u2019s mandate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Reacting sharply to Gandhi\u2019s remark raising questions on Modi\u2019s credibility, Javadekar said it was the Congress which was losing its credibility among the people in the country, because of which, he added, the party was losing election after election.<\/p>\n

The Sena attack on the BJP came in an editorial in its mouthpiece \u2018Saamana.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Sena said the BJP had \u201cbarely managed to pass\u201d the electoral exam but was pretending to have passed with distinction.<\/p>\n

The BJP won Gujarat and Himachal, but the Congress also did not lose, the editorial said.<\/p>\n

This election result in Gujarat is a \u201cwarning bell for those who believe in an autocratic rule,\u201d the Sena said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addresses a crowd during his visit to Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK) at Nani Devti village, some 40 km from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Nov. 24. (Sam Panthaky\/AFP\/Getty Images) The Gujarat poll outcome sparked a political war of words, Dec. 19, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi calling it a \u201cmassive jolt\u201d to the…<\/p>\n

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