Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Tuesday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s decision to allot 17 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar to its alliance partner, the Janata Dal (United), is a sign of the party’s insecurity. While the Janata Dal (United) will contest 17 seats, the BJP will contest an equal number of seats, and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janashakti Party six seats.
“[Rashtriya Lok Samta Party leader] Upendra Kushwaha has quit the National Democratic Alliance, the Telugu Desam Party has already left and the Shiv Sena is also not with them,” Pilot said according to PTI. “Now the BJP is under pressure and therefore, they gave 17 seats in Bihar to the Janata Dal (United) which has only two MPs. What can be a finer example of insecurity than this?”
Pilot told PTI that the BJP-led government at the Centre, which had come to power with a full majority, is very weak, and hence has allocated seats to the Janata Dal (United). He claimed that while BJP leaders alleged that the Congress is fighting for survival, Assembly poll results in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have “sent out a strong message”.
“[Union minister] Nitin Gadkari has already said that the BJP leadership should take responsibility for the defeats,” the Rajasthan deputy chief minister added. Pilot said that when the Congress lost elections, its President Rahul Gandhi “humbly accepted it”, but the BJP leadership is too arrogant to accept responsibility even after defeats in three states.
Pilot said the victories of the Congress have motivated party workers, and they have started preparations for the 2019 General Elections. “The party will register a thumping victory in the Lok Sabha polls and the Congress will form the government at the Centre.”
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