BJP leaders upbeat ahead of results, say opposition was split

New Delhi [India], Oct 22 (ANI): The BJP appears confident of returning to power with comfortable majority both in Haryana and Maharashtra with a senior party leader stating that party's internal assessment nearly matches predictions of exit polls.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who is BJP incharge of Haryana, said the exit polls somewhat match BJP's pre-polls assessment.

"BJP has been saying that we are contesting the elections on the issue of development and performance of incumbent governments. Maharashtra government's performance was excellent and Haryana got a corruption-free and honest government after a long time," Tomar told ANI.

He said it was expected that the BJP will gain from the "honest government" it provided in Haryana.

"Voters are getting aware. They are voting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the nation. People have voted on policies, performance and principles. They rose above narrow-minded politics of caste and voted for BJP. Opposition was not even a factor," he said.

He said the opposition did not pose a concerted challenge.

"On different seats, we faced competition from different parties. On some Jannayak Janata Party gave us competition, whereas on others INLD and Congress candidates posed a challenge," he said.

The senior leader rejected claims by former chief minister and Congress leader BS Hooda that the Congress was forming the government with an absolute majority.

"Hoodaji ka jijaji prem poore Haryana ko maloom hai. (Everyone in Haryana knows Hooda's love for his brother-in-law), " he said.

Rattan Lal Kataria, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, who hails from Haryana, said the Congress will fare poorly.

"If you add zero to the earlier performance of zero, you will a zero. If you say it a better performance, then so be it. Congress will lose seats," he said, adding that all nine assembly seats in the constituency will go to the BJP as happened last time.

"We want a strong opposition in democratic setup, but opposition was marred by its internal feud,"he said.