'Congress will make handsome gains in these 4 states': Jairam Ramesh says 2004 repeating 'bees saal baad'

Jairam Ramesh said it is impossible for the BJP to improve on its 2019 numbers in West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress will make 'handsome' gains in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra and will improve the position in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh predicted ahead of the last phase of the marathon election that will close on June 1. In an interview with news agency PTI, the Congress leader said INDIA will make gains in Uttar Pradesh too and overall the situation will be like 2004, 'bees saal baad'. "We will improve our position in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. In totality, we are headed for a 2004 type of a situation, 'bees saal baad'," he said.

Jairam Ramesh said BJP can't cross its 2019 peak in 2024, it will come down this time.

"After the first two phases, it became clear to me as a non-biased observer that BJP was going to be cleaned out in the South and halved in the North...Soon there will be inevitable, doctored exit polls. Let me tell you that in 2004 also, the exit polls predicted a huge majority for the NDA. The actual result stood otherwise...In 2019, the Congress got 0 in Rajasthan, 1 seat in Karnataka, Maharashtra. The BJP peaked in many states in 2019. Even the Election Commission won't help the BJP to cross that peak; it has to come down now," Jairam Ramesh said.

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'BJP won't improve in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal'

Jairam Ramesh said it is impossible for the BJP to improve on 62 seats in UP, 39 seats in Bihar and 18 seats in West Bengal.

'273 is clear majority but not decisive'

Jairam Ramesh claimed that the INDIA bloc is all set to get a clear and decisive majority. Explaining, he said 273 seats in a clear majority but not decisive. "When I say clear and decisive, I mean well above 272 seats," Jairam ramesh said.

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INDIA bloc will pick PM in 48 hours, natural claimant will be party with themaximum seats

Jairam Ramesh said INDIA bloc will pick the prime minister in less than 48 hours and the party that will get the maximum seats will be a natural claimant for the leadership.

(With PTI inputs)