BJP general secretary and party’s UP in-charge Amit Shah on Friday claimed the NDA would get more than 300 seats and Narendra Modi was sure to become the Prime Minister. At the same time he said the BJP did not believe in “political untouchability” and was open to support from any party.
While exuding confidence that the BJP and its existing NDA partners would win more than 300 seats to form a Government, Shah said that the party was still open to support from any party “if they want to ally for the country’s development”.
Reacting to BSP supremo Mayawati’s comment that there was no possibility of her party supporting the BJP, Shah told reporters here that “the BJP does not believe in political untouchability”.
Mayawati’s comment came a day after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi indicated in an interview that he expected more parties to join the NDA after the elections. In a related development, the Trinamool Congress also refused to back an NDA Government under Modi’s leadership. “All parties are welcome to join the NDA if they want to give their support for development of this country,” Shah said.
Shah reiterated his demand to ensure deployment of Central Paramilitary Forces at booth level on the seat, which will go on May 12. Talking to newspersons at a hotel in Cantonment area here, Shah said the party started its election campaign on September 10 and it has now turned into movement because the people want change at the Centre.
During this period, Modi did 437 big rallies and 5,827 small rallies, he said, adding that Modi covered over 3 lakh km in 25 States. “No leader barring Modi has made such public relation after the independent,” he said.
The Congress, the SP and the BSP are together fighting with the BJP in UP and the SP and the BSP have tacit understanding with the Congress and this was the reason why the SP had not fielded its candidate in Raebareli and Amethi and Mayawati supported Priyanka Gandhi, he said. “The NDA is getting support of all religions and castes in UP and the people have voted here against double anti-incumbency,” he claimed.
He said the party welcomed the decision of the Election Commission to deploy Central Forces at booth level in Varanasi, but insisted on deployment of central forces at booth level on the rest seats going to polls on May 12. The micro-observers should also be appointed at booth level and there should also be videography at booth level, he said. Shah blamed the EC for escaping from its responsibility and claimed that there was difference of opinion in the Commission on the party’s demand for the transfer of Varanasi Returning Officer. Shah reiterated party’s demand that the Returning Officer Varanasi be transferred immediately for the impartial election in Varanasi.
About Kejriwal’s roadshow and two other roadshows planned for Saturday by Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, Shah said, “It is good that the DM has allowed them to hold roadshows.” He claimed that the BJP was moving towards a historic win in UP although all “three opponents — the Congress, the SP and the BSP — appeared to be fighting together”.