BHOPAL — Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday expressed confidence that the BJP will get two-thirds majority in Jharkhand, where the first phase of polling is underway.
He also said that people will vote for his party in order to end the "corrupt" rule of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance.
Chouhan is Bharatiya Janata Party's assembly election in-charge in Jharkhand.
"I am continuously keeping a tab on Jharkhand. The way polling is going on there, BJP is getting more than two-thirds of majority in the first phase of voting," the Union Agriculture Minister told reporters after casting his vote in his native village Jait under the Budhni assembly seat.
Also read: Jharkhand polls: Campaigning for 43 seats ends, 1.37 cr voters to decide fate of 683 candidates
Voters supporting the BJP are coming out to vote in large numbers, he said.
"Not only BJP supporters, but common people also want a change in the regime. The people of Jharkhand will defeat the corrupt and dishonest alliance of JMM, Congress and RJD, which has supported the Bangladeshi infiltrators," Chouhan claimed.
"People have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are voting for the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for development and for the protection of 'roti, beti and mati' (food, daughter and soil) in Jharkhand to end the corrupt rule, for the welfare of the youth, farmers, mothers, sisters, and for the better future of the children. We are winning with a huge majority," he said.
The second phase of voting in Jharkhand will take place on November 20, and counting is scheduled for November 23.
Chouhan also said that BJP candidate for the Budhni assembly bypoll, Ramakant Bhargava, will win this seat.
The byelection to the Budhni seat was necessitated following the resignation of Chouhan, who was elected from the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat and became a Union minister. The Congress has fielded former minister Rajkumar Patel against BJP's Bhargava.