BJP's nationalism, Hindutva push led to Cong defeat: MP

The BJP's "hyper nationalism" and "Hindutva" planks rather than development works contributed to a crushing defeat of the Congress in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, a Madhya Pradesh minister said Sunday.

The BJP won a massive 303 seats and the Congress tally ended at 52 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, results to which were declared on May 23.

The ruling Congress also got a massive jolt in Madhya Pradesh with the BJP winning 28 of the 29 parliamentary seats in the state, the former's worst performance since the 1977 post-Emergency Lok Sabha polls.

"We believe the BJP's hyper nationalism and Hindutva planks helped it win the elections. The NDA has not done anything worthwhile in the last 5 years," MP minister Jaivardhan Singh told PTI.

 

Ministers in the Kamal Nath government met Sunday to discuss the poll outcome and all those present resolved to thwart any attempt by the BJP to destabilise it in the state.

This comes against the backdrop of Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Gopal Bhargava writing to the state governor on May 20 requesting a special session of the Assembly to discuss problems and also seeking division (voting) on financial matters.

"All our MLAs are solidly behind Kamal Nath ji. We have a majority and are ready for a floor test in the House," Singh said.

Nath had earlier accused the BJP of trying to topple the government by luring Congress MLAs.

Some MLAs who attended the meeting Sunday complained to the CM that they were not getting enough help from their ministerial colleagues.

Nath told them that he had already instructed all his ministers to ensure that they worked in coordination with party MLAs.

Nath also told his legislators to ensure people get full benefit of the state government's ambitious farm loan waiver scheme.

The Congress won 114 seats in the 2018 Assembly polls, two short of a majority in the 230-member House.

It formed a government with the support of the two BSP, one SP and four Independent MLAs.

Sources Sunday said the CM has made up his mind go in for a cabinet expansion to bring in a BSP, SP and Independent MLA each in order to ensure stability of his government.