The entire outdoor publicity campaign of the BJP centred around him, the BJP manifesto hovered around him, the recorded messages too mentioned only his name and even the polling day adverts in all major newspapers clearly said a vote for the BJP meant a vote for (prime ministerial candidate Narendra) Modi.
Across Delhi, scores of BJP supporters seemed to echo the sentiment. Some of the voters were even ready to brush aside the Gujarat riots, favouring a ‘Modi’ government in Delhi too.
“He has done so much in Gujarat and we want him to cast the same magic across the country. He can’t be blamed for one incident of violence in Gujarat. So many riots happen against our community under the Congress government but no one talks about those,” said Munir Ahmed, a retired carpenter from Sultanpuri.
The BJP had conducted a number of programmes, including ‘Chai pe Charcha’ with Modi, a rally in North East Delhi’s Shastri Park and even tried to woo the minority community by starting a number of initiatives for them.
A number of BJP candidates who had analysed the political scenario after polling said Muslim votes in a few constituencies got divided and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received more than 70 per cent of the minority votes. This they said would help the BJP candidates.
{{/usCountry}}A number of BJP candidates who had analysed the political scenario after polling said Muslim votes in a few constituencies got divided and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) received more than 70 per cent of the minority votes. This they said would help the BJP candidates.
{{/usCountry}}“This clearly means that BJP candidate will have an advantage. We were working on this strategy and it is surely going to help us,” said a BJP leader from North East Delhi.
The BJP feels the high voter turnout will work in its favour. The party attributed the increase in polling to the ‘Modi wave’. A number of excited BJP leaders and candidates sent out thank you messages to the people.
Delhi BJP chief and Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan said he took rounds of his constituency and was happy with the response.
“Voting has increased substantially this time and it is due to the popularity of Modi,” said VK Malhotra, senior BJP leader.