CM Devendra Fadnavis disagrees, says results have lent greater stability to BJP govt

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. (File) 

The Gujarat election results had cemented the BJP government’s political supremacy and would work to Maharashtra’s advantage, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday. During an interaction with the media in Nagpur, Fadnavis denied the results would have an adverse impact on Maharashtra. He said while the Opposition had been predicting the BJP’s defeat, the results had silenced those questioning the BJP’s political supremacy.

According to Fadnavis, while the increased vote percentage may not have translated into seats as expected, what really mattered was the increased support and acceptance of the party among the masses. “In Gujarat, we saw a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP… The reason why Maharashtra will not be impacted is, post 2015 in successive polls the BJP has been able to come out victorious against all mainstream parties…,” he said.

Asked if voter dissatisfaction in rural areas as seen in Gujarat was a cause of concern in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said, “Even in Gujarat, the BJP has performed better in rural areas. In the 2012 elections in Gujarat, the vote share of the BJP in rural belt was 45 per cent and for the Congress, 55 per cent. In the 2017 polls, the BJP got a 49 per cent share and the Congress 50 per cent. So where is the loss?”

On the Congress-NCP agitation to highlight farmers’ problems in Vidarbha, he said, “Except for Wardha district, the meetings didn’t draw more than 300-400 people.”