BJP wins cliffhanger in Gujarat while winning comfortably in Himachal Pradesh
In the state elections for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh in India, BJP just about managed to stave off a stiff Congress challenge led by newly elected Congress President Rahul Gandhi. BJP won 99 seats, 6 more than the majority required while the Congress won 79 putting up its best show in 35 years.
The Gujarat election results also showed a very clear urban-rural divide with Urban Gujarat having voted for BJP and rural Gujarat voted for the Congress Party.
These elections also set a very important stage for next year’s elections in the states of Rajasthjan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh where BJP will not be a challenger but will have to defend its governance record, have to showcase the work they have done.
There is no denying the fact that today’s election results in Gujarat would definitely give hope to the Congress Party of a better showing in future elections and give them something to fight the BJP in the 2019 General Elections.
In Himachal Pradesh, BJP secured a comfortable victory by winning 45 seats in the 68 member house. These elections also marked the end of the political journey of the outgoing chief minister Mr. Virbhadra Singh as he had announced that this will be his last elections, having passed his political legacy to his son Vikramaditya Singh.
After the verdict came in, Rahul Gandhi, who had led the party from the front, expressed gratitude to the people of the state.
“The Congress party accepts the verdict of the people and congratulates the new governments in both states. I thank the people of Gujarat and Himachal wit
h all my heart for the love they showed me,” Mr Gandhi tweeted.
While PM Modi, addressing his party cadres congratulated Gujarat, which has returned the BJP to power for the sixth time. Gujarat, he said, had proved that the ordinary Indian hungers for development. Hitting out at the opposition Congress, he said, “You may not like the BJP but please do not do anything to derail the country’s development”.
