Assembly bypoll results: Hope Congress won't claim 'moral victory', says Amit Shah

The BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll on Sunday by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

Pic courtesy: @AmitShah

New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday took a dig at the Congress after the Assembly bypoll results were announced saying that he hoped the party will not claim a moral victory.

The grand old party has not won any of the five seats in the bypolls. After putting up a strong fight in Gujarat, where the BJP won its sixth consecutive Assembly election, the Congress had claimed a moral victory.

"I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress," Shah said.

I hope Congress leaders won't claim a 'moral victory' even today. After being rejected by Gujarat and Himachal, they have been rejected by people in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. People do not want to accept the corruption and misgovernance of Congress. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

Shah also cited his party's win in Assembly bypolls to claim that its good governance agenda has prevailed over the Opposition's anti-development politics.

In a series of tweets, he said that his party's winning spree has continued after the victory in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh polls as it won three of the five by-elections.

After impressive wins in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, BJP's winning spree continues. Today the Party has won 3 out of 5 seats, 1 seat in rural Uttar Pradesh and 2 in Arunachal Pradesh. I thank the people of these states for supporting the BJP. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP retained the Sikandra Assembly seat in a bypoll in Kanpur Dehat district by a margin of over 11,000 votes.

According to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer's office, BJP's Ajit Singh Pal secured 73,284 votes (44.86 percent), while his nearest rival, Seema Sachan of the Samajwadi Party (SP), bagged 61,423 votes (37.60 percent). The victory margin of the BJP candidate was 11,861 votes. Prabhakar Pandey of the Congress secured 19,084 votes.

The result in Sikandra underlines the support of farmers and villages to the BJP, Shah said, claiming that the BSP's "tacit support" to the SP did not help the Opposition.

"BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the Opposition," he said.

The result in Sikandra illustrates the support of farmers and villages towards BJP. BSP's tacit support to SP did not help. BJP's good governance agenda prevailed over anti-development politics of the Opposition. Congrats to CM @myogiadityanath, @DrMNPandeyMP & our karyakartas. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

In Arunachal Pradesh, where the BJP is in power, the party wrested the Pakke-Kessang and Likabali Assembly seats from the Congress.

The win in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East policy", Shah said. The BJP will continue to serve the northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen, he added.

The victories in Likabali and Pakke Kesang in Arunachal Pradesh show the strong appreciation of PM Modi's 'Act East policy'. We will continue to serve the Northeast and ensure that the fruits of development reach every citizen. Congrats to CM @pemakhandu & @BJP4Arunachal unit. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

BR Waghe of the BJP won the Pakke-Kessang seat by 475 votes, defeating his lone rival and former deputy CM, Kameng Dolo of the Congress, Chief Electoral Officer DJ Bhattacharjee said. In the Likabali, BJP's Kardo Nyigyor won by just 305 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Gumke Riba of the PPA in a multi-cornered contest.

The 60-member Arunachal Assembly now has 49 MLAs from the saffron party, nine from the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), one from Congress and one Independent

Shah also took heart from the rise in BJP's vote share in Sabang in West Bengal, where the party's candidate came third.

He claimed that the BJP was fast emerging as an alternative to the "anti-people" Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left front, which he alleged has "ruined" West Bengal.

The rise in BJP's support in Sabang (West Bengal) is noteworthy. Our party is fast emerging as an alternative to the anti-people TMC & Left front, which have ruined the West Bengal. We will keep working for the people of West Bengal. I appreciate the hardwork of @BJP4Bengal unit. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 24, 2017

The TMC, in power in West Bengal, unseated the Congress in Sabang Assembly constituency defeating its nearest rival, the CPI(M), by over 64,000 votes.

While TMC candidate Gita Rani Bhunia secured 1,06,179 votes, her closest rival, Rita Mandal of the CPI(M), bagged 41,987 votes.

Antara Bhattacharya of the BJP bagged 37,476 votes and the Congress' Chiranjib Bhowmick secured 18,060 votes, West Midnapore District Magistrate (DM) Jagdish Prasad Meena said.

Meanwhile, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Sunday won the crucial RK Nagar bypoll by a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes.

The nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by 40,707 votes in the Assembly constituency in north Chennai. This was higher than the margin of 39,495 votes secured by late Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa last year in the segment in the Assembly elections. 

The bypoll, necessitated by the death of the AIADMK supremo on December 5, 2016, was held on December 21.

(With PTI inputs)