Ukraine evacuation to have 'positive impact' on polls: Shah

Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Saturday exuded confidence that the party will form the government in four states where it was in power, including in Uttar Pradesh, and will make impressive gains in Punjab.

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi ahead of the final phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh, BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said those hoping for any dilution in the party's mandate in the state would be disappointed and it will get a massive majority.

"People will give BJP a good majority in four states where it is in power," Nadda said.

Shah asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has replaced politics of casteism, appeasement and nepotism with politics of performance, and this has not just defined the agenda of BJP but also that of the entire nation for the future.

Underlining that the party ran a scientific and well-organised campaign, Shah said, "We saw Prime Minister Modi's popularity in five poll-bound states was more than that of any earlier prime minister."

Shah also said he is confident that BJP will return to power in four states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur -- and make impressive gains in Punjab.

In Uttar Pradesh, Shah said some leaders might have left the party, but not the voters.

Underlining that the government has been keeping an eye on the situation in Ukraine since January, Shah said the successful evacuation of Indians from the war-hit country will have a positive impact on the ongoing assembly polls.

Shah said the government had issued an advisory as early as February 15 for Indians in Ukraine.

Russia launched its military offensive against Ukraine on February 24.

The government has been keeping an eye on the situation in Ukraine since January, he said.

"Over 13,000 citizens have reached India and more flights are coming in. This process had a positive impact on elections and on the people also," Shah said.

The government launched 'Operation Ganga' for the evacuation of Indians from Ukraine.

Shah said, "The government sent Russian-speaking teams to four nearby countries of Ukraine and also set up a control room. Till March 4, we were successful in bringing out 16,000 citizens from Ukraine."

With the Ukrainian airspace having been shut since February 24 due to the ongoing Russian military offensive, Indian citizens who were stuck in Ukraine are being airlifted via its neighbouring countries such as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland.

To a question about the likely impact of issues like unemployment, price rise and stray cattle on the BJP's poll prospects in UP amid perceived benefits it may draw from the planks of law and order, and free ration, Shah said things should be seen in totality.

Overall, the BJP will gain positively from the issues at play in the polls, he said.

Both Shah and Nadda were emphatic in rejecting the possibility of the BJP needing the support of parties outside its alliance to form a government in Uttar Pradesh.

Nadda also dismissed the view that there is a close fight in the state, saying such claims are often made during the polls but the BJP ends up winning a strong majority.

The Modi government's welfare schemes have given the poor people hope that they can have a living standard equal to others, Shah said.

Asked about the winning prospect of parties in Punjab, he said the BJP will make gains and this also means that the alliance led by it has a good chance as well.

Only an astrologer can say which way the poll results will go in such a multi-cornered contest, he said.

In his remarks, Nadda said, "The BJP is set to come back with a firm majority in the states we were in the government - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. Our focus area was majorly empowerment of women, youth, poor and needy and farmers among other sectors."

"In these four states, another major focus was on development - educational institutions, connectivity, highways, airports and more. In UP, five airports have come up, 10 universities, 78 degree colleges, 28 engineering colleges, 59 medical colleges have been started," he added.

The two-month-long campaigning, when elections were held in the five states, ended this evening.

The seventh and final phase of voting in Uttar Pradesh will be held on March 7.

Counting of votes will be held on March 10.