Team Herald
PANJIM: Ahead of the counting on Saturday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, confident that BJP will get a two-third majority, said that at least 60 percent women and 90 percent ‘silent voters’ have voted in favour of the party.
“Women have come out in large numbers…60 percent have voted for BJP. Not only women, male electorates have also reposed faith in us,” he said addressing a large gathering of the BJP Mahila Morcha karyakartas on Wednesday, International Women’s Day.
He attributed the huge support from the women to the two schemes – Laadli Laxmi and Griha Aadhar. He said the financial benefits, especially to housewives under the Griha Aadhar has come as a major relief to them. “Women do not have to largely depend on men to shop for groceries or pay their children’s tuition fees,” he said adding that Laadli Laxmi scheme has also changed the attitude of the society towards a girl child, in a positive way. “A girl is a not a burden on a family,” he said.
With results to the 2017 Assembly elections not far, Parrikar also claimed that 90 percent silent voters favoured BJP. “So much is spoken of silent voters. 90 percent of them have voted for BJP,” he said. The Union minister expects to win two-third of the seats.
“There is a BJP wave in every constituency. We might not win all the seats, but definitely many seats,” he added.Revealing strategy for the next poll, he stated the party will groom non-controversial candidates. On the Panchayat elections, he favoured 50 percent reservation for women.
