Parties getting huge mandate must carry along those who didn’t vote for them: Pranab Mukherjee

Former president Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday reminded political parties that even if they come to power with a huge mandate, they must keep in mind the large number of people who did not vote for them.

Addressing a seminar at the Rajasthan Assembly here, Mukherjee recalled that some Lok Sabha elections have been won by massive majorities, but the vote share for any party has not crossed the 50 per cent mark.

"Surprisingly, there have been massive majorities but not more than half of the Indian voters have given their mandate in favour of a party, not in the past not in present, never to the Congress never to any other party including the BJP," Mukherjee said.

"The Indian electorate tells the ruling party, I am giving you enough seats to form the government but please remember you do not have our total mandate. That means you have to carry along those who have not voted for you because they are the people of this sovereign democratic republic," he added.

The former president's address comes months after the Bharatiya Janata Party won the Lok Sabha polls, securing 303 seats. Its vote share was about 40 per cent.