Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will definitely win 2019 general elections.
He expressed these views while commenting on the Karnataka election results and trends after the counting of votes began on Tuesday morning.
The BJP is inching closer towards forming the next government in Karnataka, as it has taken a significant lead so far.
Gadkari also said that said that Karnataka is another step ahead in the direction of Congress Mukt Bharat.
"Except Punjab, the Congress doesn't rule any major state. The condition of the Congress is as such that its leaders are opposing just for the sake of opposing. We (BJP) will definitely win 2019 general elections," Gadkari said.
The Union Minister said people of Karnataka rejected the Congress as they were not satisfied with the government.
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"There was dissent against corruption and a hope from the BJP. The people have also supported the works done by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Union Government. The People of Karnataka have rejected Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Congress President Rahul Gandhi," Gadkari said.
The BJP government will fulfill the aspirations of people of Karnataka and the state will be developed, he added.
Commenting on the Congress' allegation of tampering with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Gadkari said, "When they win Punjab then the EVMs are okay and when they lose Karnataka then EVMs are faulty. I think this is not political maturity. In a democracy, sometimes there is win; sometimes defeat. The win should be accepted with humility and the defeat should be accepted with a big heart."
At the time of filing this report, the BJP was leading in 106 constituencies, while the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) were leading in 74 and 39 seats respectively.
Among the chief ministerial candidates of the three parties, BJP's Yeddyurappa is leading in Shikaripura by 35,397 votes, while JD (S)'s H.D. Kumaraswamy is leading by a margin of 22,289 in Ramanagara and 18,438 in Channapatna.
Meanwhile, incumbent Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is leading in Badami by 1,696 votes, while he is trailing in Chamundeshwari by 34,511 votes.