BHOPAL: In an embarrassment for the BJP in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, former chief minister and senior party leader Babulal Gaur said on Thursday that the wave, which saw the lotus bloom in the state in the 2013 assembly polls and 2014 general elections, was no longer there.
Not one to shy away from calling a spade a spade, Gaur told reporters in Bhopal on Thursday, "The wave which propelled the party to power in MP in 2013 and the centre in 2014 general elections is no longer there. Right selection of candidates will be the key to which party eventually emerges victorious in the polls."
He added that an extensive survey has been conducted by the party across the state and if the candidates are selected on the basis of survey findings alone, the party's prospects would certainly be bright.
While the ruling BJP is tight-lipped about Gaur's latest remarks, the opposition Congress has praised the veteran politician for speaking 'the truth'. "Only Gaur Sahab has the guts to speak the truth about the real state of BJP. In the coming days, other BJP leaders will also endorse his line," state Congress media convener Narendra Singh Saluja said.