BJP party chief Amit Shah with PM Modi and other top leaders celebrating the party's win in Assam.
Highlights
- BJP's good performance a stamp of approval on PM Modi's 2 years in power
- "The people have accepted BJP in all states," said Amit Shah
- PM Modi thanks states, BJP workers and leaders for win in Assam
People have accepted the BJP in all states, the party's chief Amit Shah said today, declaring that the BJP has laid a "firm foundation for the 2019 national elections".
Mr Shah was addressing reporters as election results confirmed that after the BJP has won Assam, its first state in the North East. "It is a matter of great joy for BJP that it has performed well in all five states. People have accepted BJP in all states," Mr Shah said, calling today's election results a "stamp of approval on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's performance over the last two years".
"People who have paralysed Parliament have been shown their place. India has walked two steps closer towards a Congress-mukt Bharat," Mr Shah said about rival Congress, which is the day's biggest loser.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated his party, the BJP's best performance in assembly elections in a while now.
He tweeted:
After a series of victories in assembly elections that followed PM Modi's sweep of the national election in 2014, the party had drawn a blank last year, losing two crucial elections in Delhi and Bihar.
Elections are due early next year in Punjab and in Uttar Pradesh, a must-win mega battle for the BJP.
In a change of strategy, the party this time projected a chief minister for Assam in Sarbananda Sonowal, PM Modi's sports minister at the Centre, and the Prime Minister congratulated him for "the performance of the party and efforts through the campaign".