BJP may have suffered in Delhi polls due to controversial statements by party leaders: Amit Shah

New Delhi: Breaking his silence on BJP’s dismal performance in Delhi Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the party might have suffered due to some provocative statements by its leaders.

“Statements like goli maro and ‘Indo-Pak match’ should not have been made. Our party has distanced itself from such remarks,” Amit Shah said at an event.

He also said the party might have been impacted due to such remarks as voters do not give reasons while making their choice in elections.

He said BJP is an ideology based party and elections were also an opportunity to spread the party’s ideology.

“For us, elections are an opportunity to expand our ideology also. BJP does not contest in elections just to win or lose. As far as elections go, I accept humbly that we lost the elections,” Shah said at the Times Now Summit.

Answering a query about remarks made by union minister Anurag Thakur and BJP leader Kapil Mishra during the assembly polls, Shah indicated that such remarks should not have been made and these did not reflect the viewpoint of BJP.

“Those should have not been made. The party immediately distanced itself. The party and its workers move forward through various levels. The party gradually gives them opportunities for progress. Workers at every level take part in the election campaign. A party worker says something but people know who is the party, who is the official spokesperson. There is a parliamentary board, the party has established leaders. If someone speaks by ignoring their statements…I am not saying those on small posts spoke, but this cannot be BJP’s view,” he said.

Asked if the party had suffered due to such remarks, he said, “We might have faced consequences because there is no system that voters tell why they voted. It will not be known but it is possible that we were impacted.”

Thakur, Mishra and BJP MP from West Delhi Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma were barred by the Election Commission for campaigning for different periods over their remarks during electioneering in Delhi.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won a landslide victory in the polls for second time in a row and bagged 62 of the 70 assembly seats.

The BJP marginally improved its previous tally and also increased its vote share. Congress could not win a single seat in the second successive assembly election.

Shah had campaigned in Delhi and addressed rallies. (ANI)