BJP Critiques Congress After MLC Election Losses, MVA Claims Better Performance

New Delhi, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : Political tensions have escalated following the results of the recent elections for 28 seats in the Legislative Council (MLC) across four states. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised questions regarding the Congress party’s performance, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, particularly the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad faction), has touted its results as superior.

In Mumbai, BJP MLA Ram Kadam acknowledged the talent of actor Naseeruddin Shah but also criticized his past statements. Kadam stated that while Shah is a gifted artist deserving of respect, his 2015 comments praising Pakistan during a book launch raised concerns. He accused Shah of supporting Mughal invaders who inflicted suffering in India and destroyed temples. Kadam argued that praising Pakistan while living and earning respect in India indicates a problematic mindset.

Reflecting on the MLC election outcomes, Kadam pointed out that despite the use of ballot papers, Congress managed to win only one seat out of 28 contested across major states. He urged Congress leaders to engage in self-reflection rather than blaming electronic voting machines (EVMs) or the election commission for their defeat. According to Kadam, the reasons for Congress’s loss lie in the party’s own actions and political strategies, particularly its failure to secure any seats in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

BJP MP Yogendra Chandelia responded to comments made by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav regarding the Varanasi MLC election results. He emphasized that victory and defeat are two sides of the same coin, recalling that prominent leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee have also faced electoral losses. Chandelia cautioned against interpreting the Varanasi results as a national mandate, asserting that the BJP emerged as the largest party in the MLC elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Chandelia also noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s social media posts and reactions to the MLC results demonstrate the party’s strong support among voters. He remarked that Congress has long advocated for elections to be conducted via ballot papers instead of EVMs, despite the fact that the use of EVMs began during Congress’s own tenure in Uttar Pradesh.

He further mocked Congress for barely securing one seat, suggesting that Rahul Gandhi might raise questions about the election outcomes again. Chandelia asserted that raising issues about EVMs, SIR, or ballot papers will not guarantee favorable results for Congress.

On the other hand, Clyde Crasto, the national spokesperson for NCP-SP, hailed the election results as a success for his party. He noted that the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad faction) won two seats, while Congress secured one. The MVA coalition achieved victory in three out of five contested seats, whereas the Mahayuti coalition managed only two.

Crasto also countered previous statements from BJP leaders, pointing out that they had referred to Congress as “zero.” He highlighted that Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had to retract a post featuring the term “zero” after the Nagpur results were announced.

Tensions continue to mount as political parties navigate the implications of these election results.