Non-BJP opposition parties and NDA ally Shiv Sena today said a "strong" anti-Congress mood was reflected in the outcome of the recent Assembly polls even as former saffron ally JD(U) rubbished the 'Modi factor' in BJP winning three of the four states.
JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the same time said people will prefer a third party if there is an alterative to Congress and BJP and pointed to the spectacular showing of the fledgling Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) in the Delhi Assembly elections.
Kumar while agreeing that the result of the assembly polls in four states was 'anti-Congress' said there is no reason for BJP to "jump in joy" which was evident in its 'below par' performance in Delhi.
Shiv Sena hailed the win of its ally BJP in three states and said it is a step towards "revolution" and also praised AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for his party's stunning debut.
Taking a dig at the Congress, which got a drubbing in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi, the Sena in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' said the results showed how weak the base of the Congress has become.
The CPI(M) politburo said BJP was the beneficiary of the "strong anti-Congress mood" barring in Delhi where the AAP emerged as a "credible alternative".
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury was of the view that people were angry with the policies of the Congress and in search of an alternative.
"There is no doubt that the results in Assembly elections in four states are anti-Congress. But there is no reason for BJP to jump in joy," Kumar told reporters in Patna.
"There is no wave in favour of BJP ... The results show that BJP performance will be dismal in the Lok Sabha elections."
"The gamble BJP took (by appointing Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate) has doomed it ... Delhi is the test case of this," Kumar who led JD(U) to sever ties with BJP after 17 years over the elevation of Modi said.
Referring to poll results in Delhi, he said it threw up a 'below par' performance by BJP when they should have easily gained two-third majority in the event of rout of Congress.
