'Parasitic party...': Modi attacks Congress after BJP's Haryana poll hattrick
What's the story
Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a historic third term in Haryana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at the Congress. The BJP won 48 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while Congress managed to get only 37.
Addressing BJP workers at party headquarters, PM Modi called Congress a "parasitic party that swallows its allies" and accused it of trying to tarnish every institution.
Statement
Here's what the PM said
"Congress wants to build a country where people hate their heritage, doubt their national institutions, and want to tarnish the image of everything that the countrymen are proud of," PM Modi said.
He added that whether it's the Election Commission of India, police or judiciary, "Congress wants to tarnish every institution."
The PM's comments came after Congress complained to the EC about alleged slow progress of counting.
Poll response
Congress's reaction to Haryana poll outcome
The Congress termed the Haryana poll outcome "totally unexpected, completely surprising, counter-intuitive and against ground-reality," adding it wouldn't accept the election results.
The Congress had also lodged a complaint with the ECI alleging that there was an unexplained "delay" in uploading of results on its website.
The ECI dismissed the party's claim, saying that its allegations were "unsubstantiated."
EC response
Election Commission responds to Congress's complaint
While addressing the memorandum by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh regarding "unexplained slowdown" in updating Haryana assembly poll results on its website.
The poll panel explained that vote counting was done as per Rule 60 of Conduct of Election Rules at designated centers and by designated authorities as per statutory and regulatory regime.
A similar concern raised by Congress during Lok Sabha elections was also "ill-founded and dismissed by the Commission."
Misinformation claim
PM Modi accuses Congress of misleading the nation
Accusing the Congress of misleading the nation, PM Modi said, "You will remember the kind of ruckus they created before the results of the Lok Sabha elections."
He alleged during these elections, Congress and their "urban Naxalite allies" had approached the Supreme Court to tarnish the ECI's image.
The poll panel also criticized the Congress for giving "credence to irresponsible, unfounded and uncorroborated malafide narratives."
Historic victory
BJP's historic win in Haryana Assembly elections
The BJP will form its third successive government in Haryana after winning 48 seats in the 90-member assembly.
Talking about the win, PM Modi said, "It is the first time that a government has managed to get two terms and win a third one."
He thanked the people of Haryana for their support and vote share, saying they "wholeheartedly voted for us."