Maharashtra, Haryana election results constitute 'moral defeat' for BJP, says Congress leader Anand Sharma

New Delhi: The poll verdict in Haryana and Maharashtra is a moral defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and what it stands for, the Congress said on Thursday, hoping that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now focus on the problems confronting the country and its people. Senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said BJP president Amit Shah’s claim of victory in Haryana does not hold as the party is short of a majority. There has also been a significant drop in the BJP’s vote percentage in just four months after its Lok Sabha election victory in the state, he said. [caption id=“attachment_7551581” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Congress leader Anand Sharma addressing a press conference. ANI[/caption] Claiming that the verdict of Haryana is against the BJP, Sharma said all parties opposing the BJP must come together as has been appealed by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. “We accept the verdict of the people with humility. This verdict is a moral defeat for the BJP and what they stand for,” he told reporters at a press conference. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and its entire leadership are away from the ground realities and their campaigns did not talk about people’s issues, Sharma said. Even after “misuse” of official machinery and state resources in massive campaigns in the two states, the BJP’s vote share fell significantly, he claimed. There is a need to create a massive awareness programme that will come out in the form of a ‘jan andolan’. “They cannot terrorise the Indian voters anymore”, Sharma said. The Congress party hopes that Modi will now look into the problems confronting the country, will concentrate on his work and will not run by his boastful claims, false narratives and promises, he said. “BJP is a party with no principles and their definition of victory is also fast changing. They have actually lost the election, as their vote shares have decreased in both the states, even far less than what they had in Lok Sabha elections,” he said. Hitting out at the Modi government on the country’s economy, Sharma claimed it is in shambles and unemployment is on the rise. The rupee is getting beaten down and there is farm distress in the country, but the prime minister is not talking about it, he alleged. “The prime minister, the BJP leadership, their chief ministers did not talk about these issues, but campaigned on other issues,” Sharma said. Taking a swipe at the exit polls, he said they were proved wrong in these elections. The Congress leader said it is ironical that the BJP remains in a denial mode. Till two days ago they were making tall claims of getting far more seats than they actually got.The Congress did not agree with the BJP’s claim of victory, he said. “Their seats and vote shares have come down in this election. They will come down further. The gaps in the BJP’s claims and actual result are yawning…This is not a day to celebrate, as they have actually lost. “The BJP stands exposed before the people and their real face has come out before the people. Our vote share will increase and the BJP’s vote share will decrease in the coming times,” Sharma said. In Haryana, the Congress, which failed to bag even one seat in the Lok Sabha polls, won or was ahead in 31 of the 90 seats at stake compared to its previous tally of 15. The BJP, which had 47 seats in the outgoing 90-member house, won or was ahead in 40 seats. The half-way mark is 46. Sharma, however, admitted that had the party addressed the leadership issue a few months ago in Haryana, the result could have been different. Haryana chief minister Manohal Lal Khattar has no moral authority to be in power and that is why former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has made an appeal to all other parties to unite in keeping the BJP out of power, he said. “We should all get together and respect the people’s verdict,” the spokesperson said. In Maharashtra, the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition was on course to retain power albeit with a reduced majority withe the opposition Congress-NCP alliance putting up a good show. The Congress spokesperson also took a swipe at defectors who lost in these elections.