NEW DELHI: Government today said Congress lost badly in the Lok Sabha election due to non-performance and because its “product” was not marketable, while BJP succeeded as its product was good and became a hit with the people.
“Let us be clear that the product should be good. If it is not, then marketing will make no impact. Our product was liked by the people because of its quality,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in the Lok Sabha.
Swaraj’s remarks were a dig at Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge who had said yesterday that BJP is good at marketing and propaganda, suggesting that it was the reason for its success in the electoral battle in which Congress was led by Rahul Gandhi.
“You also did your marketing. But there was anger against your government…people accepted Narendra Modi as an alternative and the candidates (of the ruling alliance) became secondary and people cutting across caste and creed voted for Modi,” she said.
She was intervening in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
Swaraj said after 1984, it is for the first time that a single party has received majority on its own. It had happened in 1980 when Congress got 300 seats and then in 1984 when it crossed the 400 mark.
“People had thought that the era of single party majority has ended. But this time, it is unique as BJP has got 282 and NDA 336…when we talked of getting 272 plus on our own, people laughed,” she said. Turning to the issue of women’s empowerment, Swaraj said the passage of the women’s reservation bill should become the milestone for the 16th Lok Sabha.
Noting that BJP had helped Congress in the passage of the measure four years back in the Rajya Sabha, she wanted Congress to reciprocate now and got instant support from Leader of the Congress Mallikarjun Kharge.
The External Affairs Minister said with the advent of BJP-led NDA to power, the stature of India has grown overnight globally.
Earlier there was talk internationally that the India’s growth story was over but now it is said the potential has returned.
“There is a race for world leaders to come to India and also invite Modi to their countries. They want to participate in our growth story and we also want to take advantage of it. These are good signs,” she said.
With the Opposition alleging BJP is “reeking of arrogance” after victory, Swaraj said, “The massive victory has also brought big responsibility and we accept the verdict with humility.”
Swaraj said the BJP-led NDA will take lessons from the mistakes of the past government which was thrown out due to a variety of reasons including price rise, growing corruption, a series of scams, plight of farmers, sagging business and industry, unemployment among youth, atrocities against women, degradation of institutions and injustice to soldiers.
She also said the Centre did not believe in confrontations with the states and was for building ‘Team India’ where the Centre and states could have harmonious relations.–PTI
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