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BJP, Congress confident of win
On the eve of counting of votes in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, both the BJP and the Congress on Sunday claimed victory in the two states. Both the parties expressed confidence of forming governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh after vote count on Monday.
New Delhi: On the eve of counting of votes in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, both the BJP and the Congress on Sunday claimed victory in the two states. Both the parties expressed confidence of forming governments in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh after vote count on Monday.
BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao said, "This will be a sixth consecutive and a historic win for the BJP. The BJP has been on the ascendant for many years due to its positive and performance-oriented politics under the leadership of Prime Minister." Rao said the election results would once again prove that "people can't be swayed by negative propaganda and bogies of intolerance".
On the other hand, contrary to the predictions made in the exit polls, the Congress remains hopeful of snatching power in Gujarat from the BJP after 22 long years and retaining Himachal Pradesh in its fold. Former Union Minister and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed confidence that the Congress would win as the people of Gujarat have voted for change.
"The people wish to change the government. The Congress put forward its vision for each section of the society including youths, women, farmers and labourers," Scindia said at Guna, his parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
Counting of votes for all 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat will take place on Monday. Over 2.97 crore voters cast votes in the two-phase election which took place on December 9 and 14. Over 25 lakh more voters voted this year compared to 2012.
The Congress formed a caste combination on the lines of KHAM, which stands for Kshatriya, Harijan (Dalits), Adivasi (tribals) and Muslim, the theory propounded by former Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki - the father of current Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki. It fetched the Congress 149 of the 182 seats in 1980.
Joining hands with Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti (PASS) convener Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani seems to have worked in favour of the Congress.
To counter the Congress, the BJP raked up issues of Ram Temple at Ayodhya and the "neech" remark made by now suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer and accused Pakistan of colluding with the Congress to help it win in the state. Counting of votes will also take place in Himachal Pradesh to decide the fate 337 candidates contesting for 68 Assembly seats at 42 counting centres.
