Gujarat results testament to PM Modi's politics of development: Nadda

The BJP's victory in the Gujarat assembly polls is a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's politics of development, party president JP Nadda said on Thursday as he mocked the Aam Aadmi Party saying both its chief ministerial candidate and state unit head lost the elections.

Nadda thanked the BJP workers for their hard work in Himachal Pradesh also, where the party lost to the Congress, saying the "raj may have changed, but 'riwaz' also changed as there was a gap of less than 1 per cent in vote share of the top two parties".

In his address to BJP workers at the party headquarters in the presence of Modi and other senior leaders, Nadda also complimented the party workers from Delhi too for a spirited show in MCD elections, saying the AAP government in the national capital created hurdles in the functioning of civic bodies which were ruled by the BJP.

Hailing Modi's leadership, Nadda said the overwhelming majority in Gujarat has made clear the people of the state believe in the welfare policies of the prime minister and his politics of development.

Underlining the magnitude of the BJP victory in Gujarat, Nadda said the party got 52.5 per cent votes and 156 seats out of 182. "No party has been able to get so much votes and so many seats till date in Gujarat."

He took a dig at rival Congress, saying last time its vote share was 41.4 per cent, which has come down to 27.3 per cent this time. Its seats also reduced from 77 to 17, he said.

"This is the result of its negative politics, being an irresponsible opposition and its dynastic politics. This is the biggest defeat of the Congress in Gujarat so far," Nadda said.

On the AAP, he said a new party entered the election fray and its leaders used to write and claim that the "Aam Aadmi Party would get so many seats".

"Its chief ministerial candidate, state president and all other big leaders lost the election. This shows that the people of Gujarat do not believe in those who make false promises and do politics of freebies."

Attacking AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Nadda said he used to carry the board pronouncing himself to be "staunchly honesty". "But he fooled the people and should apologise for the same."

Referring to the BJP's victory in the Kurhani assembly bypoll in Bihar, Nadda said it's a message for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that the people of state are with prime minister Modi.