Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, Prahlad Patel has said that he can see the 2003 assembly polls results repeating itself in 2023.
Union Minister Patel made the remark while speaking to media, in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district on November 7 in view of how many seats the party would secure in the upcoming state assembly polls. Patel is in fray from Narsinghpur assembly seats for the poll scheduled to be held this month.
“I can see 2003 repeating itself in 2023,” Patel said.
Notably, during 2003 assembly polls the BJP came into power after the 10-year rule of the Congress government in the state securing 173 seats out of 230 while the Congress won 38 seats. The union minister claimed that the BJP will better this record in 2023.
Meanwhile, when asked if there is anti-incumbency in the state, Union Minister Patel said, “Congress tried to create this perception. They used to claim that they would declare their candidate six months before (elections) but they could do that only 32 days before. The BJP did not say so but we declared our candidate list three months ago. The Congress does not have cadre and does not have vision. People who contest elections on the basis of perception can never face BJP.”
Reacting to the caste-based census issue the BJP leader said that they (Congress) always held ill intentions and it was the same today too.
“They (Congress) have always held ill intentions and it is the same today too. When I ask Congress about backward classes, I ask three things. Of all the Prime Ministers in the Country from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, who was from the backward class? The name comes, Narendra Modi and it is given by Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress has never given a backward Prime Minister. How many backward Chief Ministers were there in Madhya Pradesh from Ravi Shankar Shukla to Shivraj Singh Chauhan? We ruled for 18 and a half years in 20 years and we made a hat-trick with Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Congress does not have any name to take,” Patel said.
He further said that the Congress never did the work of giving constitutional status to the Backward Class Commission, the Bharatiya Janata Party did it. In existence, BJPs Members of Parliament or MLAs across the country are over 27 percent MPs and MLAs are 30 percent plus. Congress should give its data.
“The fire that Rahul Gandhi has ignited regarding caste – he should answer who opposed the Mandal Commission. People know this drama,” the BJP leader added.
Besides, reacting to the preparation for the upcoming assembly polls, the union minister said that they were always prepared for 2023 elections from day 1.
“BJP is always prepared. The mistakes made in 2018 (elections) – the deficiencies we had or the mistakes the public made, both sides regret it. That is why we were prepared for the 2023 elections from day 1. I think there is no deficiency in our preparations. Congress does not have anything else but to lure people. They (Congress does not have any development plan to compare. Therefore, I think the BJP organisation, our poor welfare schemes, efforts of state and central government for women empowerment and our roadmap of 20 years is our great strength.”
Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to undergo polls in one phase on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.
(with inputs from ANI)
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