Development, women voters behind Bihar win: PM Modi

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He also said the results were a referendum on his government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

“No other country has fought corona like India has. The way we’ve fought this pandemic, from janta curfew till today, has been reflected in these results,” he said.

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Acknowledging the role played by women in the party’s success, the Prime Minister said they have always backed the party because they “feel that the BJP makes their life secure and safe”. He said, “BJP has a large group of silent voters who have repeatedly voted for us. The women, the Nari Shakti of our country, are our silent voters.”

Modi used the opportunity to come down heavily on the Opposition.

Without naming anyone in particular, he said, “Merit should be the basis of progress, not entitlement and family-run parties… Today, those who do not want to work hard, and cannot stand up to compete with us in a democratic manner, have stooped to new lows. They have started killing BJP workers. In a democracy, people speak and they will show that in a democracy, these killings will never ever be acceptable,” he said in a veiled reference to the BJP’s political tussle with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

BJP has already launched its campaign in West Bengal, where elections are due next year.