PM Modi has 'tremendous vigour': Shashi Tharoor credits him for Uttar Pradesh win

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Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a man of "tremendous vigour and dynamism" and credited him for the BJP's victory in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a man of tremendous vigour and dynamism and has done some things which are very impressive, especially politically. We did not expect him to win with such great margins but he did," Tharoor said on Sunday while interacting with the media at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

After the words of praise for the PM, the Congress leader also sought to criticize him, saying, "He has unleashed such forces in the society that are dividing our nation on communal and religious grounds which according to me is introducing a toxin that is unfortunate."

Tharoor said that he was surprised over the political analysts describing the UP poll results as a "foregone conclusion", and said that very few predicted BJP's victory until the exit polls came out.

"Until the exit polls came out there was no question in my mind that most of the people were expecting a very, very close fight, and some were saying anecdotally that Samajwadi Party was ahead," he said.

"The Indian voter has the capacity to surprise, and one day, they will also surprise the BJP. But right now they have given the BJP what they wanted," he said.

"Many people had not expected that BJP will come in power once again with such a majority. Samajwadi Party's (SP) seats have increased and hence they will prove to be a good opposition," he added.

The BJP under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath retained power in Uttar Pradesh, winning 255 of the 403 Assembly seats. 

READ MORE: Adityanath meets PM Modi in Delhi days after BJP's resounding victory in UP