Uttar Pradesh victory shows people think PM Narendra Modi as man of action: US expert

WASHINGTON: Describing the BJP's landslide victory in assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand as a vote of support for Narendra Modi, a well-known American expert has said that the results show that people consider the Prime Minister "a man of action".

BJP's historic win in India's most populous state Uttar Pradesh is its biggest electoral prize, Milan Vaishnav, South Asia Programme, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said in his quick reaction as it became clear that the BJP was headed for an overwhelming majority of seats in the state.

"This, along with the clear victory in Uttarakhand, is unambiguously a vote of support for Modi. The victory demonstrates that, whatever people may think of demonetisation, they see the PM as a man of action," Vaishnav, who is specialising on domestic Indian politics, told PTI.

Also Read-- Results live: Modi is UP's new currency, SP-Cong demonetised

Vaishnav's latest book 'When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics' hit the book stores in both India and the US in January.

"For the Congress, it can take solace in the fact that the party looks to have notched a victory in Punjab. The Congress badly needed this win as it only controls one major state (Karnataka), which could easily change hands next year," Vaishnav said.

Arguably, the Aam Admi Party has suffered the biggest disappointment--underperforming in both Punjab and Goa, he said.

"The UP verdict is a massive setback for Mayawati and the BSP, which now faces an existential crisis. It has now suffered three consecutive defeats -- in 2012, 2014's national polls, and 2017," Vaishnav said.

Also Read-- Full coverage: Results of the high-stakes polls

Supporters of the BJP held election result watch parties in major cities of the US including the Silicon Valley, New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Florida.

"Modi magic has worked again. It is the pro-poor and pro-farmer policies of the Prime Minister which has resulted in BJP's historic victory in Uttar Pradesh," said Jagdish Sewhani, president of American India Public Affairs Committee.

"This is also an endorsement of the demonetisation policy of the Prime Minister. This shows people have full faith in him," he added.

"Victory in these assembly elections has cleared BJP's door in Rajya Sabha. Thus with potential majority in both the houses of the Parliament will unblock the progress of India," said Khanderao Kand, the founder of Silicon Valley-based Global Indian Technology Professionals Organisation.