Now that the picture of how different political parties fared in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is becoming increasingly clear, it is time to reflect upon the tall assertions and wild claims that Congress and other opposition leaders made about the elections that yet again routed the grand old party and the regional parties and reinforced that Modi wave, far from losing strength, only transformed into a massive Tsunami.
Despite the coordinated smear campaign against the Prime Minister, gross allegations of graft habitually trotted out against him by Congress stalwarts, PM Modi seems to have surpassed all that criticism and yet again yank the NDA alliance comfortably across the 272-mark imperative to stake a claim at the government.
Notwithstanding exit poll results, which presented a dim view of Congress’ performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the arrogance among the Congress leadership didn’t diminish as the Congress president Rahul Gandhi rejected the results as a sham and urged his followers and workers to keep having their faith in the Congress party. He assured them that their hard work would yield the desired results.
कांग्रेस पार्टी के प्रिय कार्यकर्ताओं ,
अगले 24 घंटे महत्वपूर्ण हैं। सतर्क और चौकन्ना रहें। डरे नहीं। आप सत्य के लिए लड़ रहे हैं । फर्जी एग्जिट पोल के दुष्प्रचार से निराश न हो। खुद पर और कांग्रेस पार्टी पर विश्वास रखें, आपकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं जाएगी।
जय हिन्द।
राहुल गांधी
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 22, 2019
Even during the height of the Election season, Congress President kept claiming that he has been successful in ‘demolishing’ and ‘dismantling’ PM Modi so much so that he asserted that the next Prime Minister will be anyone but Narendra Modi.
Here’s the link to my interview with Aditi Tandon of the Tribune. Enjoyed the interaction! We covered a wide range of issues. https://t.co/9sfxusl9PU
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 11, 2019
Perhaps, one of the greatest casualty of the BJP onslaught on the Results Day has been none other the Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha. Jha, known for being overly sanguine about the Congress fortunes kept tweeting ad nauseam that the grand old party will stall the BJP juggernaut in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Even in the face of disappointing exit poll results, Jha maintained his optimism and predicted that though BJP seems to be winning the exit polls, Congress will win the elections.
BJP won the exit polls.
Congress will win the elections.
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) May 23, 2019
One of the senior Congress leaders from Delhi, Ajay Maken spoke to ANI stated that the results will be in the favour of the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi will be anointed as the next Prime Minister.
Ajay Maken, Congress candidate from New Delhi LS seat, contesting against BJP MP Meenakashi Lekhi: The results will be definitely in favour of Congress. We’re expecting that Congress will win &form govt. Rahul Gandhi will be the PM. The fight in Delhi is between BJP and Congress. pic.twitter.com/zhqUvqDIbH
— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2019
However, as of now, Congress is trailing on all the 7 constituencies in Delhi and as per trend, they don’t seem likely to win even one out of them.
Senior TMC leader Derek Obrien tweeted that BJP will be reduced to 30 seats from their previous tally of 73 in the state of Uttar Pradesh. As of the latest trends, BJP is leading on 57 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Just figured why the BJP are getting more and more desperate in Bengal. Top exit pollsters confide in private, that BJP hurtling to below 30 in UP.
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) May 14, 2019
In another assertion that was made by Derek Obrien, he contended that BJP will get 0 seats in the state of West Bengal. It is also pertinent to note that BJP has made massive inroads in the state of West Bengal where TMC has a ruling government. As it turns out, BJP is leading on 16 seats in the state and closely trailing behind the TMC candidates on the other few seats.
Derek O’Brien, TMC: Instead of making tall claims about winning 20 seats in West Bengal. BJP should try to hold on the two seats they already have, otherwise they will get zero seats like a ‘rosogulla’. pic.twitter.com/KwQENvHsm2
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2018
The exit poll results should have been a sobering realisation for the Congress leaders to temper down their hubris and assess the lacunas in their poll campaign. Far from realising it, the arrogance rose among the Congress leaders and they started levelling baseless allegations against the EVM and besmirching EC. With an ignominious defeat staring at them, one hopes this will humble them down a bit.
