Gujarat Election Results 2017: BJP Wins Gujarat With Clear Majority; PM Modi, Amit Shah Hail Victory - Highlights

Gujarat Election Results 2017: BJP Wins Gujarat With Clear Majority; PM Modi, Amit Shah Hail Victory - Highlights

We demand that the Election Commission immediately declare elections in Gujarat, enforce the model code of conduct to stop all these allegations that sheer chicanery is taking place in Gujarat, said Manish Tewari. 

The Congress today demanded that elections in Gujarat be immediately declared and the model code of conduct enforced, saying the Election Commission should not be a party to what it called the BJP's attempt to "run away" from the assembly polls. 
It alleged that the BJP was trying to delay Gujarat assembly polls for its last-minute efforts to woo the people of the state with sops announced by the prime minister. 

"Why is the Election Commission becoming an unnecessary party to the BJP's attempt to run away from the elections?...Why is the EC becoming a party to it. The Election Commission has the constitutional responsibility and mandate." 

"We demand that the Election Commission immediately declare elections in Gujarat, enforce the model code of conduct to stop all these allegations that sheer chicanery is taking place in Gujarat," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters. 

Countering criticism over the Congress' remarks against the constitutional body, senior Congress spokesperson P Chidambaram said if citizens do not question the EC, what should they do.

"And what should citizens do, pray to the EC?" Chidambaram tweeted.

"In Gujarat RS elections, Congress complained to EC before counting began. There was only one count, no recount. Ask EC (sic)," he said on the Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll.

Tewari claimed the BJP is aware that it is to difficult repeat its government in Gujarat. 

He alleged that the ruling party is "desperate" and is making every effort including use of muscle and money power and "street instrumentalities with prime minister virtually shifting the capital from Delhi to Gandhinagar, to somehow retain Gujarat".

Asked about the clarifications given by the EC on charges against it, Tewari said "what they have articulated is not rocket science".

"But the fundamental question is that why has the Election Commission digressed from the time honoured convention that elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are held simultaneously. 

"Why have the election dates in Gujarat not been declared. Why has the model code not been enforced," he said. 

The Congress leader said given the developments that are taking place, it is clear that the BJP is on a "sticky wicket" and is "running away" from elections.

The Congress leader said given the developments that are taking place, it is clear that the BJP is on a "sticky wicket" and is "running away" from elections. 

"They are trying their best to delay the elections as much as possible so that the prime minister can dole out as many as dollops of sops as they can in that short time. 

"Why does the election commission become a party to that process. 

"We want to respectfully tell the Election Commission, please you have a constitutional mandate to fulfil, declare the elections immediately and enforce the model code of conduct in Gujarat ASAP," Tewari said. 

While the bitter political acrimony of the Gujarat campaign - from neech politics to Aurangzeb and from Gabbar Singh Tax to Grand Stupid Idea - seemed to boil the high stakes battle down to issues of identity and economic distress, the verdict disaggregated at a subterranean level was as much about each party's ground game and last-mile political connectivity between the message and the voter. Narendra Modi has no doubt delivered Gujarat again to the BJP for its sixth successive term but the 2017 battle is the closest an electoral fight has been in Gujarat in over four decades. 

This time, while Congress, fighting a prestige battle under its newly minted president Rahul Gandhi, adopted a me-too strategy on Hindu issues, the data shows that BJP, which had peaked ideologically in Gujarat, pivoted quickly under the radar to a post-ideological formulation in parts of north Gujarat and a huge swathe through central Gujarat to wrest previously Congress constituencies which tactically offset its losses in the Patidar-dominated areas of Saurashtra. 

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Vijay Rupani, Gujarat Chief Minister: "BJP's victory in the Assembly elections showed people's unshakable faith in the agenda of development, caste-less and classless society. I acknowledge with humility people's verdict who have voted for BJP and reposed faith in the politics of good governance - a dominant theme flourished by Prime Minister Modi on the Indian political landscape."

Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goaspoke about newly-elected Congress chief Rahul Gandhi: "In his opening innings he has scored a zero".

Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister: "Undoubtedly, a major victory. The kind of work which Party workers have done right from booth workers level till PM's level, everybody put their best foot forward. People of Gujarat have recognised the good work going on in the state."

Smriti Irani, Union Minister: "It is a matter of happiness for us, this is the victory of development. Jo jeeta wohi sikandar. It is victory of every booth worker's hard work & the people who trusted development".

Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister: "I had already said this would happen. A change of guard in the Congress leadership will be a good sign for the BJP. That aside, people have rejected divisive politics of Congress, this win is due to the dynamic leadership of BJP and the hard work of BJP workers".

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister: "All sections of society have voted above caste politics. This is a win of development politics of the Prime Minister. In Gujarat, OBC, patidar, dalit all were used for caste politics by the Congress but caste politics could not get success. People have approved of our policies and work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development agenda. As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, after he became Congress president, he has lost Himachal Pradesh and could not bring the Congress in power to Gujarat."

Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan Chief Minister: "The people of Gujarat have once again voted for development. They once again reposed faith in the BJP leadership. It shows there is no alternative to the BJP in the country.

Ashish Shelar, Mumbai BJP chief: The election results have proven that the 'bullet train' of development, under PM Modi's leadership, has emerged victorious. The opposition, which violated all campaign norms have been shown their place by the people."