An unfazed and determined Amit Shah is confident of winning the Karnataka Assembly polls and the 2019 general elections with thumping majorities despite the recent setback in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur by-polls in Uttar Pradesh.
In an one-to-one conversation with Sweta Singh in the first episode of a revamped Seedhi Baat – the flagship show of the country’s number one news channel Aaj Tak – the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national president said that low polling and the last-minute alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the by-polls could be a reason, but added that the BJP “would vie for 50 per cent vote share in 2019”.
“We have formed a committee to look into the reason for the losses and will deliberate on its report. By-polls are fought with local issues in mind. Every local poll has different dynamics. But in general elections, big leaders and issues are involved. In 2019, the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will get more seats,” Shah added.
When UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the BJP lost the by-polls because of overconfidence, was he talking about himself or the BJP or the Modi government? Shah said that he never asked Adityanath in what reference he made the comment. He also praised the CM as he completed one year in office. “UP is on the right track. There is zero corruption, problems of farmers have been solved and there is law and order. Many investment summits will be held. Akhilesh Yadav [former CM] could not hold such summits fearing untoward incidents. The state is moving in the right direction and will have double-digit growth,” Shah said. (India Today)
