With the BJP continuing to lead the Congress in the majority of 28 Assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh where bypolls were held, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra took potshots at the opposition party.
By 12pm on Tuesday as counting of votes progressed, the BJP was leading in 20 of the 28 constituencies while the Congress was ahead in 7 and BSP in 1. The bypolls had been necessitated by 25 Congress MLAs quitting their party and joining the BJP in March. If the leads hold, the BJP will have a decisive majority in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
BJP leaders who have taken commanding leads of at least 5,000 votes include Govind Singh Rajput (Surkhi), Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon (Badnawar), Prabhuram Choudhury (Sanchi), Mahendra Singh Sisodia ( Bamori), Tulsiram Silawat (Sanwer), Hardeep Singh Dang ( Suwasra), Bisahulal Singh (Anuppur), Sumitradevi Kasdekar ( Nepanagar) and Narayan Patel (Mandhata).
Speaking to mediapersons, Mishra ridiculed former Congress chief ministers Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath. Mishra declared, "BJP has nothing to lose, those who are losing ask them [Congress]. We'll only gain. I heard Digvijaya Singh's statement. If he's questioning EVM, it means BJP is winning. We're getting majority and the two elderlies (Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath) are going to Delhi."
Mishra also tweeted, "The Bharatiya Janata Party is confident of its victory in the by-elections in the state. I have said before and today I am speaking again that BJP will give permanent government of absolute majority to the people of Madhya Pradesh."
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted: “The people of the state have once again decided to hand over the responsibility of Madhya Pradesh to BJP, which is committed to development and people's welfare. This is clearly visible now."
State BJP chief V.D. Sharma congratulated BJP workers for their hard work. Sharma also praised “the hard work of leadership” including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He said Kamal Nath is of dual character as far as him being devotee of Hanuman is concerned. “He does it only for political motive, we pray every day,” Sharma said. He also said that Lord Hanuman can also distinguish who are his genuine devotees.
Sharma declared “Congress had rejected Lord Ram and now is pretending to be a devotee of Hanuman.”
Kamal Nath had led a heated campaign in the bypolls against the BJP, with both sides making provocative remarks. During campaigning, BJP leaders had portrayed Kamal Nath as being an outsider who was aloof from the state. Sharma had even compared Kamal Nath to the British East India Company.