Daggers out as BJP suffers reverses in state polls

Daggers are out after the BJP suffered a massive drubbing in the State Assembly polls in three of its Hindi belt bastions of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

While the Shiv Sena, still a partner in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), was the first to train guns at the BJP, the saffron party remained at the centre of scorn of the rebels and sulking leaders including Shatrughan Sinha.

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief (RLSP) Upendra Kushwaha, who resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council of ministers two days ago, also joined the chorus, saying “Jumlebaazi is bound to get exposed one day.”

"All these states have given a clear message of a BJP-mukt India. The BJP felt it was destined to win all elections and no other party could survive. But this bubble has been burst. You cannot always win by fooling people," the Shiv Sena, in an editorial in party's mouthpiece Saamana, said on Wednesday.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena spokesperson and the party's Rajya Sabha member, had earlier said that the results of the polls gave a clear message to the BJP that its victory chariot has been halted.

"This is a clear message and it is the time for us to introspect," he said.

Sinha, BJP's Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib in Bihar, also took a dig at the BJP leadership over the party's defeat in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

“Sir ji! Now please tell us who’s ‘Pappu’ and who’s turned out to be the real ‘Feku’! Our own dashing, dynamic & of course charming Rahul Gandhi once again and once for all has shown his charisma,” he said in a series of tweets.

He congratulated “the visionary RG’s (Rahul Gandhi's) entire team” for the poll victory in the three states, calling it as “the great, grand, most awaited and expected success.”

“Those who have lost, thanks to their arrogance, poor performance or over-ambition also deserve heartfelt condolences. Hope, wish and pray that wisdom & good sense prevails upon them soon... Sooner the better. Long live democracy. Jai Hind,” he said.

Yashwant Sinha, who quit the BJP earlier this year, said the election results had destroyed the “untenable theory of the Modi magic.” .

“It will propel the opposition parties to bond better for the next Lok Sabha polls,” he added.