Opposition parties variously interpreted the Gujarat verdict as a referendum on the BJP’s claims of development and a result of the efforts of Rahul Gandhi, but the unkindest cut came from NDA ally Shiv Sena whose mouthpiece heaped rich praise on the newly anointed Congress president. “When the faces of bigwigs (in the BJP) were turning black due to fear of defeat, Rahul Gandhi was in the poll arena without bothering about the result. It is this confidence that will take Rahul forward,” said an editorial in Sena mouthpiece “Rahul Gandhi has accepted the responsibility as Congress president at a crucial stage. There should be no objection in wishing him all the best. Let Rahul Gandhi decide if he wishes to take the Congress party to the pinnacle of success or down the pit,” it said. In a veiled attack on the BJP and the Narendra Modi-led government, the Sena asked, “Are those who think that nothing happened in the previous 60 years and that India progressed only in the last three years humans or the epitome of foolishness? Who knows, a new history may be put forth that India gained Independence only in the last one year and that the Independence struggle of 150 years was a lie.” The Sena has blown hot and cold with the BJP for some time now. The party was part of the first delegation to then President Pranab Mukherjee to protest against demonetisation in November 2016. The parties also chose to fight municipal elections on their own earlier this year. Read | Modi’s December Spring Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee described the Gujarat election results as a “face-saver” for the BJP. “I congratulate Gujarat voters for their very balanced verdict at this hour. It is a temporary and face-saving win, but it shows a moral defeat for BJP. Gujarat voted against atrocities, anxiety and injustice caused to the common people. Gujarat belled the cat for 2019,” she tweeted. At a rally in Sabang, West Bengal minister and TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “After today’s verdict in Gujarat, it is clear that our party chief will lead the secular front across the country ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.” Banerjee is now among the loudest anti-BJP voices in the country, with the Trinamool playing a key role in the opposition formation in Parliament alongside the Congress. Read| Decoding BJP’s victories: Trends of continuity with some significant change SP leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav slammed the BJP for its governance model. “This election has shown how those with nothing to do with the politics of the people can mislead by their actions so that they can hang on to power by any means. The results have shown that the Gujarat development model was a fraud. This is a signal for future elections..” Sharad Yadav, leader of the breakaway faction of the JD(U), congratulated Rahul for “his untiring efforts” for the “great success” of his party. “I respect the mandate of the people, I am sure, the people of Gujarat will soon realise that the BJP did not have a solution to address issues of unemployment, inflation, rural distress and negative fallout of the GST and demonetisation.” NCP’s Praful Patel said the Congress would have “done better” in Gujarat if it had formed an alliance with his party.
