Congress workers celebrate after party's victory on two seats in Himachal Pradesh by-elections, in Shimla, Saturday.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Congress on Saturday described the bypoll results in which I.N.D.I.A. parties won 10 seats and restricted the BJP to two seats as a “resounding victory” for democracy and a “strong rebuke” to the BJP’s “divisive politics”.
Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the bypoll results showed that people have now “completely rejected the arrogance, misgovernance and negative politics” of the BJP and gave strong evidence of the “falling political credibility” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the results have made it clear that the “web of 'fear and confusion' woven by the BJP has been broken” and every class, including farmers, youth, labourers, businessmen and employed people, “want to completely destroy dictatorship and establish the rule of justice”.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the people have understood that politics that “misleads people 100 years back and 100 years ahead will not do any good” and that the “people want positive politics that improves the present and prepares a clear blueprint for a bright future”.
The results have demonstrated the rejection of the BJP's “anti-people, anti-youth policies, and divisive politics”, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said in a statement.
Referring to the Congress winning two out of three seats in Himachal Pradesh, Venugopal said this “triumph is a testament to the unwavering faith” of the people of Himachal who have “rejected the BJP’s politics of horse trading and defections”.
“Today’s results are a tight slap on the BJP’s face, showcasing the public’s strong disapproval of their pro-rich, dictatorial politics,” he said.
Referring to the defeat of those MLAs who deserted Congress in Himachal and Uttarakhand, he said the result underscores the “rejection of opportunism over principled governance”. He said people have rejected the BJP's “dangerous politics resoundingly” though the saffron party used all “dirty tricks” to intimidate its leaders.
He said the Uttarakhand result is significant as it sends a “clear message” that the “misuse of religion for political gains, as seen in Ayodhya and now in Badrinath, will not be endorsed by the electorate”.
Addressing a press conference, Congress Media and Publicity Department chairperson Pawan Khera said the Narendra Modi-led BJP has got a "strong" message from people twice within less than two months but the question is whether the BJP would listen to it. “Those who voted for us have given a strong response to the BJP,” he said.
On the loss in Madhya Pradesh's Amarwara, he said the whole administration was trying to defeat the Congress and in the midst of counting, officials went for lunch in an unprecedented move.