Denying that there was a ‘Modi factor’ in the results of the four
just-concluded Assembly elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on
Monday said the Delhi verdict showed that though it was an anti-Congress
mandate, the people preferred a non-BJP alternative.
“The mandate could be against the Congress. But from the way people
voted in Delhi, it is clear that if they have an alternative to the
Congress other than the BJP, they will opt for that. In Delhi, no party
has a clear majority. In such a scenario, if there are re-elections,
then the BJP’s myth will be shattered,” Mr. Kumar said on the sidelines
of a Legislature session.
Asked about the much-touted ‘Modi factor,’ Mr. Kumar said: “What the BJP
is saying is irrelevant. What’s important is what is before your eyes.
Wherever the Congress and the BJP came face to face, we thought the BJP
would have an advantage, but Delhi has dispelled that misconception. The
BJP will get a deep shock after the 2014 elections. If there was a
wave, the party should have got a two-thirds majority.”
He reiterated his remark “blower ki hawa [wind from a blower]” to
describe the BJP’s claims of the impact of its prime ministerial
candidate.
Mr. Kumar congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party on its performance in debut.
“It was an experiment. The AAP has proved itself. The anti-corruption
andolan of Anna Hazare’s is significant even today.”
