BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said that the BJP is fielding candidates in 18 out of total 25 Lok Sabha seats in the Northeast leaving the rest of the seats for its alliance partners.
Ram Madhav said this in Guwahati while adding that while the BJP is contesting 18 seats, partners from North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will contest in rest of the Lok Sabha seats.
NEDA is a BJP led non-Congress forum floated by the BJP soon after its victory in Assam in 2016.
“In some of the Lok Sabha seats, our NEDA partners are contesting against the BJP as they are contesting separately. We welcome their decision and wish them luck. However, after the elections, they will join the NEDA,” he said.
Madhav said that BJP together with its allies will win 20 seats in Northeast.
“There is a wave for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the country now much like the 2014. We are inching close to two third majority marks in this election. We are going to form the next government at the Centre,” he said.
The senior BJP leader justified axing of five sitting MPs in Assam and said that the party has given tickets to new faces.
“Giving ticket is decided by state and central leadership. The old leaders have assured that they will support these candidates and the old leaders will be given important responsibility in the party,” said Ram Madhav.
He said that Prime Minister Modi will visit different northeastern states for campaigning.
“Modiji will come to Assam on March 30. He will again campaign in Northeast in April, party president Amit Shah will also address election rallies here,” he added.
Attacking the Congress in Assam, the BJP general secretary said that there is an unholy nexus between congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).
“However, the people of Assam will reject such an unholy nexus,” he said.
The BJP leader further said that Arunachal Pradesh will also have the first ever BJP elected government this time. Arunachal Pradesh is going to have simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls on April 11.