Congress becoming extinct, BJP growing: Javadekar

New Delhi [India] Dec. 19 (ANI): Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said the Congress is becoming extinct and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is growing.

Addressing a press conference here, Javadekar refuted Congress President Rahul Gandhi's observation about the BJP and Prime Minister Modi after the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

Commenting on Rahul's charge that the Gujarat election results were a setback for the BJP, Javadekar said, "Today, the Congress is nowhere in 19 states that are ruled by the BJP and its allies. The Congress is becoming extinct and the BJP is growing. Today the BJP is world's largest political party with maximum numbers of Dalit, women, Other Backward Class, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Caste MPs and MLAs are of the BJP and they are saying the BJP has suffered setback. This amounts to the insult of people's mandate."

He also said that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi were not able to realise the reality.

"The BJP has won Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, its vote share has increased. Those who had been saying Vikas Paagal ho gaya hai (Development has gone insane) have been neglected by people. Now, if Rahul Gandhi is saying that the BJP has suffered a setback then either he is changing the meaning (of Vikas Paagal ho gaya hai) or he doesn't understand the reality."

The Union Minister added, "In fact, the Congress suffered a setback and if it doesn't realise it then there is no chance of its improvement."

On Rahul's claim that the Gujarat results were moral victory for the Congress, Javadekar said, "Congress lost in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Assam, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Maharashtra which were ruled by it. Apart from it, the Congress also lost Assembly elections in Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh that were held with 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress has been losing one election after another under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and if the Congress has started taking defeat as victory then congrats to it. "

Commenting on Rahul Gandhi's statement that the credibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has weakened, Javadekar said, "If we have an asset then it is the credibility of Prime Minister Modi who communicates directly with people. After BJP's victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Prime Minister said Development will win. He doesn't deviate from development.

Refuting Rahul's charge that Gujarat Model has failed, Javadekar said, "Gujarat has given a message that the journey of development shouldn't stop. It is due to the development that the BJP is ruling 19 states."(ANI)