New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Milkipur Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh where by-election was held on February 5 -- the same day when polling was also held for the 70-member Delhi Assembly.
As per the Election Commission data, BJP candidate Chandrabhanu Paswan emerged victorious in the Milkipur bypolls, defeating his nearest rival Ajit Prasad of the Samajwadi Party by a margin of over 60,000 votes.
Notably, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stormed to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years by bagging 48 out of 70 Assembly seats, the Prime Minister visited the BJP office in Delhi and addressed the party workers.
While congratulating the party on its success in Delhi, he also described the BJP’s victory in the Milkipur Assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district, as "unprecedented", and praised the state's progress.
Addressing party workers, PM Modi said: "Uttar Pradesh is right next to Delhi, and at one time, its law and order situation was a major challenge, especially for women. Encephalitis was wreaking havoc in the state, but we worked with determination to eliminate it.
"Notably, Yogi Adityanath personally led the campaign against encephalitis, fighting it both in Parliament and on the streets as an MP. After becoming Chief Minister, he played a crucial role in bringing it under control."
The Prime Minister further highlighted the BJP’s emphatic victory in the Milkipur Assembly by-election in Ayodhya, stating that people from all sections of society voted overwhelmingly for the party.
PM Modi emphasised that "this unprecedented win reflects a shift in public sentiment, with people now choosing the BJP’s policy of development and satisfaction over appeasement politics".
In Delhi, the BJP scripted a history by dislodging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from power, and making a comeback after 27 years.
The AAP, which was eyeing a third consecutive term, has been comprehensively defeated by the BJP.
The BJP won 48 seats -- way more than the required majority mark of 36 -- while the AAP saw its tally falling drastically compared to the previous two elections to 22.