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Even in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where BJP retained power, the victory was attributed by the party leaders to development rather than terror plank.
BJP had made terrorism its main electoral plank, accusing the Congress of being "soft" on dealing with the scourge and projecting itself as the party which could insulate the country from it.
After the November 26 Mumbai attacks, the BJP intensified its campaign on terrorism. In this connection, the party issued advertisements in newspapers and its leaders, including L K Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, raised their pitch against Congress over the issue.
However, this plank failed, significantly in Delhi and Rajasthan, which have suffered terror attacks repeatedly. As electoral results trickled in, BJP President Rajnath Singh virtually admitted the failure of terrorism as a poll plank when he said that local issues played a crucial role in the elections.
At the party headquarters here, BJP leaders were silent on the issue of terrorism and instead attributed victories in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to the development plank.
"It is for the first time in the history of BJP, with the exception of Gujarat, people have voted us to back to power on the basis of performance. The vote for BJP in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh is a vote for performance," senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.
In Madhya Pradesh, Congress feels that the Mumbai attacks could have influenced the voting pattern to some extent.
For Congress, development plank worked in Delhi, where it retained power for third time, as also in Rajasthan, where it wrested power from BJP.
Congress General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said the development agenda worked for them in Rajasthan where it is set to emerge as the single largest party.
"As against the BJP, the Congress made development an issue. We went to the people with a positive agenda. Rajasthan had been living in the shadow of terror for the last five years," he said referring to the BJP rule under Vasundhara Raje.
This guy needs to have one of his near and dear ones to be among terror victims to come to terms with ground reality.
In a democracy, people always get leaders they deserve. If people fail to express anger over rampant terrorist activities in the country, they will continue to suffer at the hands of terrorists.
It is wrong to assume that terrorism is not an issue for the people but BP's defeat in Delhi may have to do with voters' disenchantment with its own score on that count. While in power, it failed to prevent terror attacks and except faulting Congress, it did not throw up any new ideas about how it would counter it. Its campaign was entirely negative and repetitve. If it wishes to upstage Congress in the Lok Sabha polls, it will have to dissociate itself from rabid Hindu groups indulging in violence and hatred against minorities and present a plan of how it proposes to change the status quo. People value development and security and religion or caste is fast becoming a secondary issue. It will also be suicidal for Congress to become complacent and write off terror as a non-issue or staging CWG as the only item on agenda. There is rampant corruption in civic administration and there has been no evidence of any attempt to eliminate it.
Developmental issues should be the the major stake in elections. As far as terrorism issues, all parties that rules are equall, one may be only soft pedelling in this aspect for influencing the votebanks. One issue in the forthcong elections I feel should be the security coverage and NSG, Black cat protection to all and sundry politicians and the national resourse wastage for this. No politicians except PM, President, Opposition leader should be given security protection spending nation's money. Every citizen has equal right for protection. Then , there should be constitutional amendment for not allowing any one to continue for more than 2 terms as minister anywhere. The national wastage on security and pomp for politicians like Mayavathy who tours with several vehiicles and not allowing any onlooker in the street to lsee what goes on should be codemned. The persons responsible for the intelligence and security lapses in Mumbai attacks should be punished .
Still we vote congress even after witnessing horrified attack by muslim anti indian fanatics.Congress will never bring them to justic because of years old appeasment policy towards muslims,We are not improving and facing consequences.We are deserved to be killed and remained slave under Catholic born Italian lady.We are unfortunate people.Even god can not save us for our deeds.
I totally agree with the comments and observations made. Congress, as a whole, doesn't have any principle and does anything for power. Take for instance, their alliance with DMK. This party's role was probed by Jain Commission in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case and now shamelessly Congress has entered into alliance with them, just for the sake of their survival at Centre. People have really understood UPA and its overall failure in all fronts. I really wonder as to how Congress has been voted to power in these three States, when the Common-man has been burdened due to overall price rise of essential commodities during the Congress regime. But, I am sure that the verdict will be different in case of Lok Sabha, when people reject this UPA (Congress) and DMK, in order to put an end to the opportunistic and dynastic politics practised by them.
I think the BJP has done quite well, u cant win all and every thing, besides Lok Sabha elections are different from assembly elections. Congress is still on its way out infact these elections will only bring their end sooner.
BJP thinks that it can win votes by crying out loud that hinduism is under attack.under attack from whom??dont try to fool the people of india.india needs to go forward into 21 st century and for it divisive politics which destroy the fabric of the ation should end..no nation has progressed which has pursued the path of fundamentalism..pakistan best example for that
I Congress or BJP, I support none. Both are failures and corrupt. But, one thing is sure, it is BJP, it is Bajrang Dal, it is RSS, it is Shiv Sena, who can help the present Hindu population remain hindu. Had these forces not been there, I bet, by now, I and you would have different name. And you know what I mean.
more than helping they are creating hatred in the society. raping and kinling the doughters and son of the Bharatha matha, do not be sccptic