Kamal Nath says INDIA bloc's poll show to give new direction to politics

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath has said the INDIA bloc has won a sizeable number of seats in the Lok Sabha polls and the Opposition alliance's performance will give a new direction to national politics in the days to come.

Kamal Nath pointed out that the BJP gave the slogan of "400 paar" (more than 400 seats), but the saffron party ended up winning in just 240 constituencies.

"Our alliance's performance was good. Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) used to say 400 paar, but (BJP) won just 240 seats. On the contrary, we (INDIA bloc) have got a good number of seats (234) and it will give a new direction to politics in the days to come," the Congress veteran told reporters after meeting party workers at a hotel in Chhindwara, his home district.

Asked about possibilities of the INDIA bloc forming a government at the Centre, he said at present their (NDA) alliance is in power, but if the situation changes such an opportunity can be explored.

Kamal Nath said he was being called to New Delhi by the Congress leadership after the Lok Sabha poll results, but he told them he will first go to Chhindwara to meet people who stood by him all these years and then only will travel to the national capital.

Earlier, addressing party workers, the former CM said the people of Chhindwara have given him a "farewell" and he has accepted it.

The former Union minister maintained he shares a 45-year-long relationship with the people of Chhindwara and said there was a need to do a "post-mortem" of the poll defeat in his home turf.

He asked party workers to find out reasons behind this defeat and tell him about the same.

Speaking on the occasion, Nakul Nath asserted he will not leave Chhindwara and said his party's next aim was to win the Assembly bypoll in Amarwada in the district.