Battle for India will be fought in 2024: Prashant Kishore
What's the story
Political strategist Prashant Kishore on Friday said the election results of state assemblies will have no impact on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
On Thursday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre won the assembly elections in four states: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa.
"Battle for India would be fought and decided in 2024 and not in any state elections," Kishore tweeted.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Kishore's tweet came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the result of the UP assembly elections has decided the 2024 Lok Sabha elections results.
Modi made the comments while addressing BJP workers after the saffron party won elections in four states.
Notably, Kishore—once an aide of Modi—has lately been working as a strategist for opposition parties.
Details
'Modi trying to establish psychological advantage over opposition'
Reacting to Modi's remark, Kishore said the PM is aware that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will not depend on the result of any state elections.
"Hence this clever attempt to create a frenzy around state results to establish a decisive psychological advantage over the opposition," Kishore said.
"Don't fall or be a part of this false narrative," he added.
Modi
What did Modi say yesterday?
Modi addressed a crowd of BJP leaders and supporters at the party's Delhi headquarters on Thursday.
He said he hoped "political pundits, who did not think much of the party's 2019 (Lok Sabha) win saying it had already been decided by the 2017 UP results, will now have the courage to say that the 2022 (UP) results have decided the 2024 (Lok Sabha) results."
Quote
BJP received blessings from all four directions: Modi
Modi further said that the BJP has received blessings from all four directions: "A hill state adjacent to the border, a coastal state, a state with special blessings of Mother Ganga, and a state on the northeastern border."
Elections
BJP won in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa
The BJP marked a resounding victory in UP, winning 255 assembly seats of the total 403 seats.
In Uttarakhand, the BJP was able to secure a majority by winning 47 of 70 assembly seats.
In Goa and Manipur, the saffron party won 20 of 40 and 32 of 60 seats, respectively.
The exit polls had notably predicted a hung assembly in Goa and Uttarakhand.