As BJP sweeps three states, RS Prasad speaks about its national impact in 2024

As Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to sweep Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, talking about the national impact of the assembly elections, said that the saffron party will secure a “huge victory” in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“The trust of people in their leader is crucial. Rahul Gandhi talked about caste politics but PM Modi said that for us there are only four castes - poor, farmers, women and youth. The people trusted us. This result is the limitation of vote bank politics. In Telangana, we only had one seat and now we are winning 10 seats…Now, what will be the future of the INDI Alliance? Now, everyone will say that the Rahul Gandhi brand has finished and we should lead (INDI Alliance). In Lok Sabha elections, we will have a huge victory,” Ravi Shankar told Republic.

Hitting out at a grand old party, the BJP reminded Rahul Gandhi that the latter is in politics due to his family background. He said that the BJP's politics is based on the development and welfare of people.

As votes were counted for assembly elections to the four states on Sunday, trends on the Election Commission showed pro-incumbency in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and anti-incumbency in the Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

In Madhya Pradesh, the party seemed set for another term in power with leads in 162 seats and the Congress trailing far behind at 65 in the 230-member assembly.

In Rajasthan, the saffron party was ahead in 112 seats, well over the halfway mark, the Congress had leads in 72. Voting was held in 199 seats as polling in one was put off due to the death of a candidate. The Congress, riven by factionalism, was helmed by Ashok Gehlot in the state, but the BJP, interestingly, has no chief ministerial face.

While the trends were clear in the two states, many Congress workers still held out hope that the party would retain power in Chhattisgarh. Presently, the BJP is leading in 53 seats while Congress in 34 seats, with close contest in few constituencies.

The proverbial silver lining in the dark cloud for the Congress, hoping desperately for political revival, was Telangana where it was poised to snatch power from the BRS. The Congress was ahead in 65 seats, leaving the BRS with leads in 39 seats in the 119-member house.