‘Will return to power’: Raje basks in N-E win

Jaipur: Despite the bypoll debacle in the state, BJP will win assembly polls, claimed a confident Vasundhara Raje on Sunday. Addressing her first media briefing since the recent bypolls, Raje said that her government will be voted back to power in the next assembly polls, which are scheduled for later this year. “Our government will cover the reasons that led to our defeat in the bypolls,” said Raje.
Raje was at the state headquarters to celebrate BJP’s performance in the north east. Upbeat over the victory, Raje said that the recent assembly results will uplift the confidence and boost the morale of the party workers in the state, paving the way for the party’s victory in the state. “It is such an astonishing moment to see that our party is governing from the place sun rises (in the north east) to where it sets (in the west). The party will continue its victory ride till it is voted to power in all the states, including Rajasthan,” she emphasised. She even thanked the Rajasthanis living in the north east for the “support extended to BJP by them.”

Raje dodged questions on probable candidates for the forthcoming elections on two Rajya Sabha seats in the state and several others related to the bypolls. When asked why she had not addressed a press conference after the bypolls, she, on a lighter note, said, “This is the time to celebrate.”

While Raje showed she was confident about the win in the forthcoming elections, not all in the state BJP believe it will be as easy. A senior minister in the cabinet told TOI said that he has written to the Centre to hold 2018 assembly polls elections along with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He said that the defeat of BJP is a result of anti-incumbency.

“Elections held along with Lok Sabha will give the state unit extra time under the presidential rule. It is the only way that party can come back to power. I have presented my views, it is for the top brass to accept or to reject it,” said minister, who also shared the party’s internal survey post-bypolls which is giving landslide victory to Congress. Modi has been pitching hard for one nation, one election. At a meeting held on February 28, the PM had discussed the outcomes of one nation one election with the chief ministers in the BJP-ruled states.