Lok Sabha polls: Shashi Tharoor claims BJP strongholds showed minimal turnout

Shashi Tharoor called the NDA's aim to win over 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections a “complete fantasy".

Updated on: May 22, 2024, 14:11:32 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Adarsh Kumar Gupta

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Congress senior leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday described the BJP-led NDA's aim to win more than 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as “complete fantasy.” Talking about the results of the previous Lok Sabha elections in 2019, Shashi Tharoor said the BJP benefited from the Pulwama attack and won seats in the polls on the issue of national security.

Even as the Election Commission of India's data shows voter turnout dropping in some of the phases of the ongoing elections compared to previous polls in 2019, Shashi Tharoor claimed that the BJP's strongholds had shown minimal turnout.

"...It was already very clear when BJP started talking about 'Abki Baar 400 Paar' that this was a complete fantasy. Last time in 2019, thanks to the tragedy in Pulwama and the response in Balakot and the conversion of the election from what should have been a referendum on the economic failures of the first term of Mr Modi, it became a national security election in 2019. As a result, they maxed out in a number of states...In all those 11 states, those results are impossible to replicate and we are already seeing this very clearly....The strongholds of the BJP have shown minimal turnout and significant drop in voting figures. Whereas, where the Congress candidates and the INDIA Alliance had attracted enthusiasm, the voting was carried out in good numbers...Our confidence has gone up even further...," said Shashi Tharoor as quoted by news agency ANI.

Notably, the Lok Sabha election 2024 is being held in seven phases, of which five phases are already over. The results will be declared on June 4.

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Shashi Tharoor on AAP leader Swati Maliwal assault case

In an interaction with the media on Wednesday, Tharoor jibed at the BJP over the Swati Maliwal assault case. He criticised the BJP for raising the issue again and again and alleged that the party was ignoring critical issues like unemployment, inflation.

"AAP's official statement has been made...I don't see a need to add anything to it. She is not our appointee. So, if they know, let them only speak. Secondly, what does the BJP want by raising this issue again and again? To see that the reality of the country felt by people--unemployment, inflation--is not discussed...," he told reporters.

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