Poll results indicate BJP losing popularity, says Sharad Pawar

The remarks came after BJP lost its 30-year-old stronghold in Kasba Peth assembly constituency and managed to secure only one seat in the legislative council elections.

Mumbai: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that the recent elections are an indication of a change in the atmosphere in the country as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to succeed in the recent bypolls.

In Kasba Peth, Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar defeated BJP candidate Hemant Rasne. In the legislative council elections, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition won three of five seats, including Nagpur which was the home town of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and union minister Nitin Gadkari. Additionally, with Congress rebel Satyajeet Tambe’s victory, the BJP had to settle with only one seat. (HT Photo)

The remarks came after BJP lost its 30-year-old stronghold in Kasba Peth assembly constituency and managed to secure only one seat in the legislative council elections.

“They (BJP) are in government and used all the powers but lost the bypolls. Everyone knew Kasba Peth was their stronghold, all this indicates a change,” the veteran leader said, indicating that the BJP is losing popularity among the masses.

In Kasba Peth, Congress candidate Ravindra Dhangekar defeated BJP candidate Hemant Rasne. In the legislative council elections, Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition won three of five seats, including Nagpur which was the home town of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and union minister Nitin Gadkari. Additionally, with Congress rebel Satyajeet Tambe’s victory, the BJP had to settle with only one seat.

“The Congress candidate secured more votes on all the booths except two where BJP got more votes than Dhangekar. It is a change. It is happening in Pune which means people are thinking differently,” said Pawar

Giving a nationwide sense, the former defence minister said that the BJP is not in power in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and they have no chance even in future. Similar is the situation in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal where they have failed to come to power.

Pawar added that the ruling party had to engineer splits in parties to come to power in several states and all this is going to be considered by the people in the upcoming elections.

“In Karnataka, Congress was in power and BJP came to power only by engineering a split in the party. All this indicates a change and we are hoping to see them in the upcoming polls,” the NCP supremo said.

The NCP chief also hailed the Supreme Court’s decision of revamping the selection mechanism to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).