Mumbai, Dec 19 (IANS): Hours after the Gujarat Assembly polls verdict was out, Maharashtra's opposition parties termed the results as "encouraging" for the Congress, but a "warning and a moral defeat" for the Bharatiya Janata Party, here on Monday.
"The results are 'encouraging' for the Congress and a 'moral defeat' for the BJP which deployed the entire Union Cabinet, Chief Ministers of 14 states and the entire government administration and machinery," MPCC President Ashok Chavan said.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi countered all this and the 'low level' of campaign indulged in by the BJP, which resorted to dirty politics by claiming it would win 150 seats.
"Despite all its efforts, it could not cross the three-digit figure, though it hurled false allegations against former Vice President Hamid Ansari and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, tried to polarise the votes and completely ignored even a mention of 'vikas' (development)," Chavan said.
On the contrary, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the Congress fought on developmental agenda and bagged 20 seats more than the 2012 elections, the Congress's vote-share has increased hugely.
"Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a 'war veteran' and the entire party in Gujarat and rest of India has become charged enough to crush the BJP in the future elections," Chavan said.
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Council and Nationalist Congress Party leader Dhanjay Munde said after the lesson it has learnt in Gujarat, the BJP would do well to improve itself.
"We have seen many humiliating electoral defeats in the past, but in Gujarat we are witnessing a 'shameful victory' for the BJP. We congratulate the BJP for its 'embarassing' win there," Munde said sarcastically.
Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said though Prime Minister Narendra Modi had campaigned for a 'Congress-free India', he could barely manage to retain power in his own home state.
"This is a warning by the voters, the wave of anger against the BJP is strong and the party must heed it. The Congress performance has improved substantially for which the entire credit goes to Rahul Gandhi," Vikhe-Patil said.
This was despite a fear unleashed by the BJP which Gandhi countered by touring the whole state, the people responded and the party activists cooperated enthusiastically.
The Congress organization has been strengthened, and its positive impact is felt all over the country, said Vikhe-Patil.
Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam said that the BJP victory was not due to the people of Gujarat, but due to the EVMs, especially since the entire population of the state was against the party and BJP leaders addressed empty chairs at election rallies.
"The party which invoked Pakistan, Aurangzeb and Khilji during the elections, has suddenly started talking about 'vikas' and development after the results are declared," Nirupam said.