BJP to sweep Haryana, Maharashtra assembly polls: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Union cabinet minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday exuded confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party will sweep Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections with a significant margin.

Shekhawat said the Congress was passing through a "turbulent phase" and was almost "on the path of staggering division" across the country and not in a position to win any election.

"The Congress has been suffering from widespread division and factionalism and the BJP is going to sweep both the states with a remarkable margin," Shekhawat, who is on a two-day visit of his home constituency Johdpur, told the media here.

To buttress his point, he cited the examples of a former Haryana Congress president and senior party leader Sanjay Nirupam.

Nirupam, the former chief of Mumbai Congress, has launched a revolt against the party leadership after some of his supporters were not granted party ticket despite being recommended by him.

Former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar resigned from the party's primary membership on Saturday, alleging that there is a conspiracy to eliminate leaders groomed by Rahul Gandhi.

Asked on buzz in Rajasthan that the state might get two more deputy chief ministers, Shekhawat told the media it was the government's wish but if they could control the law and order situation in the state, "they should make five or even 11 deputy CMs".

He appealed to the state government to improve the law and order situation so that "our daughters are safe".

The government should curb violence, rape and cruelty against girls and women in the state and for this, if they wish to make five or even 11 deputy chief ministers, they should go ahead, the Union minister said.

Haryana and Maharasthra, which have BJP-led governments, go to polls on October 21.