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Two days ahead of polling in Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah today contended that the election outcome cannot be a referendum on the functioning of Narendra Modi government.
Dismissing surveys projecting a clear victory for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he expressed confidence that the BJP will form a government in Delhi with a "very big majority" and Kiran Bedi will become Chief Minister.
His comments are in line with the remarks of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Delhi polls.
"It is true that it is an election for Chief Ministership. The election in a state cannot be a referendum (about Centre's functioning).
"While this is indeed true that the good work of the Government of India has its impact on elections, a state election cannot become a refrendum (on Centre's functioning) because of that one thing.
"Venkaiahji has not said that. He has said that Delhi election is to elect a Chief Minister. You also know the Constitution. Elections in Delhi are never to elect Prime Minister," Shah told CNN-IBN.
Holding that the electoral mandate in the national capital cannot be seen as a referendum on the Narendra Modi government, Naidu had told PTI in an interview, "It is an election for Chief Minister and not for Prime Minister."
"Narendra Modi is not fighting assembly elections. It is a state election. You are going to elect a Chief Minister not a Prime Minister. It is the BJP versus the rest. That is all".
Shah dismissed surveys projecting AAP as a winner and ridiculed Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of "trying to become a hero" by releasing its internal surveys to claim a winner.
