"PM Modi's '400 paar' hype has been crushed to ground...": KC Venugopal

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader KC Venugopal on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of '400 paar' (400-plus seats) has faced a setback after the conclusion of two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha election.
Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, KC Venugopal said, "PM Narendra Modi's '400 paar' hype has been crushed to the ground after the first and second phase of elections. INDIA alliance is definitely going to win this time. PM Modi's speech during the campaign has been an attempt to polarise the elections. Congress is very confident about winning with a high majority in Rajasthan, Bihar, and other states."
Venugopal also raised the issue of delay in the functioning of EVMs at multiple polling booths in Kerala. He also claimed that "election machinery in the state was hijacked by the ruling CPI government in the state".
"90 per cent booths that experienced a delay in voting were of the UDF. The election machinery was hijacked by the left. There were also cases of double votes. Even after so much time in preparation for elections, EVMs were not functioning. The party will analyse all the problems that had to be faced in the booths," he said.
Congress General Secretary also claimed that voters had to face multiple difficulties while casting their votes on Friday.
"As far as Kerala is concerned, we will win 20 on 20. In the history of Kerala, there has not been an election that was this disastrous. In more than 3 constituencies the voting was delayed due to problem with EVMs. The voters had to go through so much trouble because of that. Voters were standing in the queue for five to six hours. There were no basic drinking water facilities in the polling booth," Venugopal claimed.
On Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar's meeting with ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener EP Jayarajan, Venugopal said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is trying to stitch an "unholy nexus" with BJP.
"EP Jayarajan met Prakash Javadekar. This was also in the knowledge of CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Yesterday CM Pinarayi Vijayan was trying to defend the meeting This is clearly a deal. CM, who is scared of the central agencies, is trying to create an unholy nexus with the BJP. Now EP Jayarajan has become a victim of this. How can Pinarayi Vijayan defend this meeting?" he asked.
Voting for the 20 constituencies in Kerala was held in a single phase on Friday. The voting percentage in the state was recorded at 70.21 per cent.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 out of 20 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala. While the Congress won 15 seats, its allies Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won only one seat.