“The sun is red when it is setting. But when it rises, it turns saffron Says Modi
NEW DELHI/ KOHIMA/ SHILLONG/ AGARTALA :”The sun is red when it is setting. But when it rises, it turns saffron. This is a new age for the Northeast,” he declared. “When you are in politics you need to know how to handle defeats. Said PM Narendra Modi.
Looking at the way the Left has reacted to the verdict, it seemed that they need to learn sportsmanship. The people have watched what has happened, they have seen how things were done. And, they have responded with their votes,” said Modi.
Describing the BJP victory in Tripura as a journey from “being no one to number one,” Modi said party’s poll performance was a fitting reply to all those who “spread fear, lies and rumours.” Prime Minister claimed that the Congress’s stature had never been so diminished before and warned party workers not to allow “Congress culture” to seep into the party.
“In a democracy, the best answer to all those who spread rumours, fear and lies are given by the voters. And democracy has given its answer,” said Prime Minister Modi against the backdrop of attacks from opposition parties on the recent scams involving public sector banks.
In an oblique reference to the Congress terming the arrest of former Finance Minister P. Chidamabaram’s son, Karti, as vendetta, Mr. Modi said, “When we take action, some people call it vendetta. It’s not vendetta but mandate of the people.”
Addressing party workers at the BJP’s headquarters, the Prime Minister took a dig at the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi when he said some people’s designation grew even when their stature shrank.
Mr. Modi made it very clear that by the end of June, Congress governments would be voted out in most parts of the country. “During my recent visit, I told Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy that the Congress leader was very fortunate as he will be the only specimen of a Congress Chief Minister,” said Mr Modi in a comment laced with sarcasm.
Mr. Modi also went on to describe Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh of the Congress as a swatantra fauji (independent soldier) “who is not considered as one of their own by the Congress party nor does he consider them [Congress[ as his own.” Captain Amrinder rebutted Mr. Modi’s remarks on Twitter, and asked him not to “drive a wedge between him and his high command.
Mr. Modi said in “vastu shastra”, it was believed that the northeast corner is the most important part of a land and with his party now in power in most of this region, these States would lead the country on the path to development
The BJP witnessed a surge in Northeast India on Saturday when it made significant electoral gains in the three states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. In Tripura, the BJP put up a spectacular show, ending 25 years of the Left rule. BJP has won in 31 seats and is leading in 4 others, as per the Election Commission. Its alliance partner, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal-dominated party, has won 7 seats .
The ruling CPI(M) has, meanwhile, won 11 seats and is leading in 5 others. In the Left bastion, the BJP had no MLAs in the outgoing Assembly and had polled just 1.5 per cent votes in the 2013 elections, losing deposits in 49 of the 50 constituencies it contested.
Meanwhile, the party is looking to form coalition governments in Nagaland and Meghalaya in the face of hung verdicts. As per trends/results available at 9:00 pm, the ruining Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) has won 24 seats and is leading in 3 others.
Meghalaya, once a Congress bastion, is headed for a government of non-Congress forces. The ruling Congress has won 20 seats. In the last elections, it had won 29 seats in the 60-member Assembly. The National People’s Party (NPP), a possibly BJP ally, has won 18 seats.
The BJP, on the other hand, has won 9 seats and is leading in 2 more. Its alliance partner, the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), has won 11 seats and is leading in 5 others.
The NPF headed by Chief Minister T R Zeing has already passed a resolution, expressing its desire to continue its alliance with the BJP. Interestingly, the BJP had two ministers in the outgoing NPF government but had stitched a pre-poll alliance with the NDPP.
The BJP has won two seats. Smaller parties like the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and United Democratic Party (UDP) could also ally with the BJP. The PDF has won four seats, while the UDP has won six seats.
While polling was held in Tripura on February 18, elections took place in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 27. Though the strength of each of the Assemblies in the three states is 60 members, voting was held for 59 constituencies in all of them, for different reasons.
While a CPI(M) candidate died in Tripura, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate was killed in Meghalaya, which resulted in countermanding of the polls in one seat each in the two states. In Nagaland, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) chief Neiphiu Rio was declared elected unopposed.(With Agency Inputs ).
