New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The BJP may have again retained power in Gujarat but its victory is not as spectacular as expected while "the real winner" in the state is the Congress, various central government ministers said Thursday.
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) appeal had shrunk in the state.
"It is true that the BJP has won in the sense that it will form the government. But the real winner is the Congress, which (is set to win) more seats than in 2007.
"It is the Congress message that has attracted more voters," Chidambaram told media persons in the morning as the trends were coming in.
In contrast, he said, the number of seats which would be won by the BJP with votes still being counted would be around 117 -- the same number it got five years ago.
"It is the BJP base that has shrunk, even if it has shrunk only a little," he said.
Chidambaram said the BJP win was expected as the Narendra Modi government had strangulated bureaucracy.
"The important point is the kind of sweeping victory the BJP was expecting is not there and it has been contained below the number they had last time," he said.
He said that Congress has made an impression on the minds of people in Gujarat.
"The exaggerated claims by the BJP have been proven wrong. Large sections of people of Gujarat feel left behind."
Echoing similar views, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal said the results were not as spectacular as was being projected by the media.
"As far as Gujarat is concerned, this was supposed to be a runaway win for Modi. What happened was a 2D win for a 3D campaign. They had said that they will win 150-140 seats in Gujarat, I feel that has not happened," he said.
On Modi being a prime ministerial candidate, Sibal said it is for BJP to decide as they have many contenders for the post.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the Gujarat results should worry Modi.
"There are strong indicators in this poll and a lot of them should worry Narendra Modi and the results should provide us a roadmap ahead of 2014 general elections," he said.
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