BJP, Centre strongly responded to Pak propaganda: Fadnavis on J&K polls

Mumbai, Oct 8 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the BJP and the Union government have strongly responded to Pakistan’s propaganda in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Political analyst Abhay Deshpande was of the view that the poll outcomes in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will boost the BJP’s position in Maharashtra.

The BJP looked set to retain power in Haryana with a decisive mandate, while in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference looked on course to come to power with ally Congress.

With leads in 49 of the 90 seats, according to the Election Commission website, Haryana’s ruling BJP readied for a third consecutive term.

In the elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference-Congress combine was set to form government while the saffron party won 27 seats and was leading in two others, as per the EC’s website.

The assembly polls in Maharashtra are likely to be held next month.

Speaking to reporters in Solapur, Fadnavis said, “I will not immediately react to the outcome of the Haryana state polls. However, the BJP and the Union government have strongly responded to Pakistan’s propaganda in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.”

The opposition’s propaganda has also been disproven, as some of them had tried to scare people by saying there would be bloodbath on streets after the abrogation of Article 370 (which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir), the BJP leader said.

“We have shown to the world that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have participated in democratic processes. It is a strong message that the Indian government and the Election Commission of India can conduct fair elections there. Even the observers sent by several foreign countries have witnessed the fairness of the elections,” he said.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the Haryana poll outcome is a strong message to the “fake narrative” of the Congress which affected his party in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.

“The lies of the Congress party are now exposed. The voters of Haryana have realised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is going to last till 2029, thus the Haryana voters chose a double-engine government in their state as well,” he said.

The Mahayuti government in Maharashtra (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar’s NCP) will replicate the same in the state elections, Bawankule said.

“We will bring Maharashtra on number one position and improve it on various fronts. All the constituents of Mahayuti in Maharashtra will gain lots of votes and we will come to power,” Bawankule said.

Political analyst Abhay Deshpande was of the view that the poll outcomes in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will boost the BJP’s position in Maharashtra.

“During the seat-sharing talks (of the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra), the BJP was initially criticised for its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections (held earlier this year),” he said.

However, the Haryana assembly election results indicate the BJP has made a comeback from its setbacks in the Lok Sabha polls and is capable of overcoming its challenges,” Deshpande said.

Those who are thinking of crossing over to the MVA constituents will also have a second thought of leaving the BJP-led NDA, he said.

Deshpande also said the Congress had an upper hand during MVA’s discussions (over seat-sharing for Maharashtra polls) because it performed well in the Lok Sabha elections, he said.

“The Congress will have to be softer now while discussing seat-sharing with its allies like NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT),” he added.