BJP passing through honeymoon period; will face real test at UP polls- Harish Rawat

LUCKNOW: BJP is passing through a "honeymoon period" and it will face the real test at the time of the UP Assembly polls in 2017, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said today.

"Once this honeymoon period is over a lot of questions will crop in the minds of people. If they fail to find a solution, people are bound to ask questions. They have already started questioning as to when the promised Rs 15 lakh will come in their account," he said.

He was referring to BJP's poll promise that black money stashed away in foreign banks would be brought back and from that Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in bank account of every person in the country.

"This is honeymoon period for BJP. The real test will start during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections (in 2017). The party can be in an advantageous position only during its honeymoon period," Rawat told PTI in an interview.

On Congress' drubbing in Lok Sabha elections, he said the party found it difficult to retain power because of anti-incumbency factor.

"Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose popularity and acceptability was very high, had to give up power," he said.

"For instance, Congress was in power in Delhi for 15 years. But, people were in a mood for change," he said, referring to the last Assembly polls in Delhi, which threw up a hung House.

The Uttrakhand Chief Minister said another reason was that BJP adopted a "new strategy" by "blocking" passage of key legislations in Parliament.

"Parliament did not function and laws were not passed. When Parliament does not function for long, it goes against the government's image. We could not get several good bills passed or implemented like the one on food security," he pointed out.