New Delhi: Gujarat minister Jagdish Vishwakarma criticised the voters of Vadgam for the defeat of BJP against Congress party's Jignesh Mevani in the recent state assembly polls.
He alleged the people of the Scheduled Caste-reserved seat in Banaskantha district betrayed the nation by not ensuring BJP's win. This statement attracted a dig from Mevani who said that the ruling party must also learn how to digest a defeat.
Jagdish Vishwakarma, also known as Jagdish Panchal, is the minister of state for cooperation, salt industries, protocol, and MSME in the Bhupendra Patel-led government. He was on a visit to Varnawada village in Vadgam during the day when he addressed the people. When people greeted him, he vented his anger by citing their "hypocrisy".
"Those who were responsible (for BJP's defeat) have actually betrayed the nation. You welcomed me, garlanded me, but, I must tell you instead of showcasing such hypocrisy now, you should have shown your love by ensuring BJP's victory here," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
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Hitting back, Mevani said: "The BJP minister is upset because his party could not win despite spending several crore rupees here. Despite being accorded a warm welcome, Vishwakarma insulted the villagers. He should learn to digest defeat." He further said that the voters of Vadgam will ensure the defeat of the BJP in the forthcoming polls as well.
In Gujarat Assembly polls held on December 1 and 5, BJP won 156 seats out of 182, and Congress had to settle with just 17 seats. Dalit leader Mevani had retained Vadgam by defeating the BJP's Manibhai Vaghela by over 4,000 votes.
(With inputs from PTI)