Patna: BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan asserted on Sunday that the ruling NDA is on track to retain power at the Centre, helped by the “Modi factor” and the appeal of the issue of nationalism, while the Opposition has become a picture of “disunity” in a key state like Bihar.
The Lok Janshakti Party leader said the 2019 general election stands out from many elections he has seen in his over five-decade long career for the centrality of the issue of nationalism in this poll with people supporting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for development as well as national security.
In an interview to PTI, the dalit leader said the momentum in the NDA’s favour is increasing in every phase of polling and that the “wave has now become a tsunami”.
Three phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections have been held so far, with the Hindi-heartland states being the key battleground in the remaining phases.
Mr Paswan claimed there has been no contest so far in Bihar, seen as a key state to the NDA’s fortunes. Giving seat-wise figures to support his claim, Paswan said Opposition parties like the Congress and the RJD have been working at cross-purposes while “united” NDA partners — BJP, JD(U) and LJP — have got better of them in most seats.
“Our vote is increasing in every phase. The Modi factor was recently at work in the Prime Minister’s massive road shows in Varanasi and Jharkhand. More people are joining us. On the other hand, Opposition parties have not been able to unite either in Delhi or here in Bihar. People wonder what is the point of even voting for them as they don’t know what these parties will do,” he said.
The NDA may win over 35 seats of the total 40 in Bihar, he said. It had won 31 in 2014. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwai Yadav have often avoided campaigning for candidates of the other party, Mr Paswan said.
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