After thumping LS poll win, BJP sets eyes on Delhi Assembly

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) After bagging all the 7 Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, the BJP has set its eyes on the Assembly elections slated early next year, with the party on Saturday exuding confidence of repeating the similar performance then.

Delhi BJP chief and winner from North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency Manoj Tiwari expressed confidence that the party would wrest power from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the capital.

Speaking at a joint press conference by the BJP's Lok Sabha winners from Delhi, Tiwari said, "This time I won with a margin of 3,67,650 votes from North East Delhi, much more than the numbers in 2014. I have got this confidence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But this is not the end. The next test is for Delhi election next year."

Urging the people of the national capital to end BJP's 22-year hiatus here, he said, "If we have received people's trust, we are confident of getting it for Delhi as well."

Tiwari, a singer-turned-politician, said the public verdict in the Lok Sabha polls is historical.
"I have been asserting since day one that Narendra Modi in 2014 was hope and 2019 Modi is faith," he added.

Talking about his own electoral performance, he said since he was pitted against three-time Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit, he was a bit fearful but the people mandate instilled confidence in him.

Taking a jibe at the Congress, Union Minister Harshvardhan, who won the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, said even though the grand old party fielded all its heavyweights in Delhi, it couldn't secure a single seat.

He noted that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party finished third on all seven seats and many candidates lost their deposits.
"The verdict shows that Delhi is disillusioned and disappointed with Congress and AAP. This is the beginning of the end of AAP. It'll be difficult for AAP to save its identity," he said.
In the 2015 Assembly elections, AAP had got a massive victory, bagging 67 out of the total 70 seats.

Renowned cricketer and a newbie in the politics, Gautam Gambhir, who bagged East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, attacked AAP leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"When the AAP levelled grave allegations against me, I was just 15 days old in politics. However, I want to ask the CM how do you face the mirror when you lose your conscience," he said.

"Despite the Opposition resorting to dirty politics, I told all my workers that we will fight with honesty and clean politics. Negative politics doesn't work now, people vote for development. Now the real challenge starts and i want to take this opportunity to make my east Delhi constituency the best," Gambhir said.

Parvesh Verma who won with the largest margin of 5,78,487 votes from West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, said, "we have often heard that Delhi decides the mood of the country, which was apparent in this General Election."

He urged the people to vote for BJP in the upcoming Assembly Election in Delhi for a smooth development of the national Capital. "Delhi's development will be successful when all three governments are of BJP," the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Saheb Singh Verna said referring to central government, state government and local bodies.

"The AAP government has been attacking the Centre for fund crisis but has spent Rs 526 crore on advertisements. Next challenge for us is to bring BJP government in Delhi," said Verma.

Popular singer Hans Raj Hans, who won from North West constituency, said, "Like the seven seats in Delhi, there are seven notes in music. And all these notes have bloomed lotus in Delhi."

Winners from New Delhi Meenakshi Lekhi and from South Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri did not attend the joint presser.