Bhopal: Without directly putting the blame on electronic voting machines (EVMs) for his defeat, Congress’ Bhopal candidate for the Lok Sabha election Digvijaya Singh wondered what magic wand did the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) possess that enabled it to accurately predict its victory.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal for the first time after his loss to BJP’s Pragya Singh Thakur, Singh congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his MPs on the thumping victory in the general election.
“I have already congratulated Pragyaji (BJP candidate) at the counting centre on Thursday,” said Singh.
When asked to comment on the poll outcome in Bhopal, the former chief minister said he personally felt it was a victory of ideology of Gandhi’s killers over the values of the apostle of peace.
"According to the traditions of Indian democracy, I accept the mandate. But it is cause for concern for me that the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi's killer has won in the country and the ideology of Gandhi, which gave peace to this country, has lost," he said.
"The Congress will move on the path of truth, love, non-violence and harmony, and we wish the country goes on the same path," Singh added.
Further, he expressed astonishment as to how the BJP predicted it victories so correctly.
"It is strange that the BJP slogan in the 2014 elections was "abki baar 280 paar" and they achieved an absolute majority with 282 seats out of 543, 166 more than previous 15th Lok Sabha.
"In this year's elections, the saffron party's slogan was "abki baar 300 paar" and it has got 302 seats. I wonder what magic wand the BJP has, which predicts exactly the number of seats it will get even before the votes are cast. It deserves to be congratulated for this," he said.
Regarding the alleged tampering in EVMs, he said much already has been discussed on this and refused to delve further into it.
On being asked about what was lacking in his campaign, Singh said till the time EVMs were opened, all thought he would win. “I had even received messages from several BJP leaders who congratulated me in advance.”
“My workers, party leaders and I gave our 100 per cent and I have no complaints against anyone,” he added.
Asked to comment on the choice of seat for him, Singh said he deemed himself a small party worker who followed his party’s command.
He said that despite his loss, he would try to fulfil his promises by staying in Bhopal as Chief Minister Kamal Nath has made similar promises to the people of Bhopal.
Continuing his attack on the BJP, Singh said though the saffron camp focused its campaign on national security, the reality was a large number of servicemen have lost their lives in the last five years.
He said the Modi government had failed to meet any of its promises made in 2014, like black money and employment, hence the new agenda of security.
Further accusing the BJP of trying to bring down the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh through horse trading, Singh said the party had full faith in its MLAs and allies, including the BSP and SP.
Asked whether he should have replied to the harsh words used by Thakur for him during campaigning, Singh said he never responded to abuses hurled at him by his opponents.
Regarding the ownership of defeat and if the party president should resign, Singh said it was up to the party organisation to take a call on this.
When reminded about his self-imposed political exile in 2003 after being decimated by BJP leader Uma Bharti, Singh said he hadn’t said anything like this ahead of the 2019 polls.
(With inputs from agencies)
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