The defeat of prime minister Narendra Modi-led BJP in Karnataka shows that the ‘Modi wave’ is coming to an end, while the ‘opposition’s wave’ is coming across the country, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut predicted on Sunday, a day after the Congress’ rout of the BJP in the southern state.
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“The Modi wave is over and now our wave is coming across the country. Our preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has started, and today a meeting has been called under the chairmanship of (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar….we will discuss about the 2024 elections in this meeting and start preparing for it,” the Maharashtra politician said, according to ANI.
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The saffron party losing power in Karnataka, Raut further said, shows that citizens can defeat ‘dictatorship.’
“Congress won, which means Bajrang Bali is with the Congress and not BJP. Home minister (Amit Shah) was saying that if BJP loses, there will be riots. Karnataka is calm and happy. Where are the riots?,” he asked.
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The BJP’s defeat in the only southern state where it has held power comes ahead of the next general elections – due in April-May 2024 – when the party, as well as PM Modi, will seek a third straight term at the Centre. Its loss, therefore, has not only galvanised opposition parties as they continue to try and stitch a joint anti-BJP front for 2024; that it was routed despite intense campaigning by the prime minister himself has added to the opposition’s confidence.
In recent days, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has been meeting various non-BJP leaders for the proposed joint opposition alliance. Kumar’s JD(U) is the Congress’ ally in Bihar, as are the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Pawar’s NCP in Maharashtra. Together, the two states account for 88 seats (Maharashtra-48, Bihar-40) in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The former, in fact, sends the highest number of members to the Lok Sabha, after the BJP bastion, Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 80 seats. Karnataka, on the other hand, has 28.
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