Athawale praises PM Modi for BJP's performance in Gujarat elections

New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said that BJP's victory in the Gujarat assembly elections is the result of work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the state over the years.
Speaking to ANI, Athawale said, "This is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the work he had done over the years it is the result of that. I thank the people of Gujarat for this. Congress and AAP have been wiped out from the state."
When asked that Congress is leading in Himachal Pradesh elections, he said, "We accept our defeat there and in democracy the will of the people prevails."
BJP is set for a record performance and a landmark victory in Gujarat and Congress is poised to form government in Himachal Pradesh according to the results and trends of the counting of votes on Thursday.
The BJP is poised to break all records of electoral performance in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and is set to get the highest number of seats won by a political party in the state's history.
According to the latest information from the Election Commission, BJP is expected to win 158 seats in the 182-member Gujarat assembly having already won 79 seats and leading on 79 seats. Aam Aadmi Party has made its entry in the state assembly having won two seats and leading on two more. The party has increased its vote percentage to 12.87 per cent in an indication of its growing presence in the state.
The Congress is set to suffer its worst electoral defeat in Gujarat, having won seven seats and leading on nine.
The BJP, which has won its seventh straight election in Gujarat, is set to not only improve its own best record of 127 seats in 2002 - the first election with Narendra Modi as chief minister - but the Congress tally of 149 seats in 1985.
In Himachal Pradesh, Congress is slated to win 39 of 68 seats, having won 26 and leading on 13. The BJP has won 14 seats and is leading on 12. Independents have won three seats and AAP failed to open its account in the state.
In terms of vote share in Himachal, Congress is only marginally ahead of the BJP having got 43.88 per cent of votes compared to 42.99 per cent of its rival. Others have garnered 10.4 per cent vote share in the hill state.
The Congress, which had not projected a Chief Ministerial candidate in the hill state, is planning a meeting its MLAs in Chandigarh with some of its leaders apprehending "poaching" attempts by BJP. (ANI)