A day after the BJP’s resounding victory in Assembly polls, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took a short victory lap to the BJP headquarters here and gave a clarion call for a “New India” aspiring for development and growth for all Indians without discrimination.
The Prime Minister appeared to be setting his sights beyond the 2019 lok Sabha elections as he asked the countrymen to join him in building the New India by 2022, when India celebrates its 75th year of Independence and took up the cause of the ‘middle class’ which he said takes pressures from all sides. He said if the poor are taken out of their poverty, the pressure on the middle-class would automatically be reduced and the country would effortlessly move forward if both the classes combined their strength and walk hand-in-hand.
Modi, who walked up to the BJP office amidst beating of drums, showering of flowers, waving of party flags with party workers carrying his cutouts and masks, said the people in five Assembly polls did not cast vote on “emotional issues” as was the case for long but laid the foundation for a New India by supporting the substantial plank of ‘vikas’ in the country. This, he said, was particularly heartening as 65 per cent of country’s population was young and less that 35 years of age which holds a bright future for the country.
Delivering his speech at the party headquarters before attending the Parliamentary Board meeting of the party, the Prime Minister said the unprecedented victory for the BJP may make political pundits to focus on development issues and not limit themselves to “emotional planks” only.
He said election results reflected that the poor were asserting that they would come up themselves by the dint of their hard work if only opportunities are created for them by the Government.
As Modi walked his way to the party headquarters along with his motorcade from le Meridien hotel, the chant of ‘Modi-Modi’ ranted the air. This was the first public appearance of the Prime Minister after poll results in five States came out on Saturday. A big crowd of BJP supporters had gathered outside the party office at 11, Ashoka Road, to greet the Prime Minster and threw ‘gulal’ (Holi colours) at each other to celebrate party’s victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. They also came with colourful balloons.
Outside the party office, a large lCD screen was installed for the people who had gathered to hear the Prime Minister, who assured the people of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that BJP Governments would fulfill its promises and work for the development of all without “discriminating” as “who has voted for us and who has not”.
Modi said this was the golden period of the party which could not have been achieved but for the sacrifices and contributions of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, lK Advani, Jana Krishnamurty and Kushabhau Thakre. He asked partymen and leaders to be modest in victory and work for the growth and development of all.
The Prime Minister was of full-some praise for party president Amit Shah whom he credited with giving great depth to the organisational structure of the party and making it the world’s largest party. Shah while welcoming Modi described him as the most popular leader of the country since Independence on whom poor of the country have reposed their complete faith.
Describing the victory in the just-concluded Assembly polls as greater than the one in the 2014 general elections, BJP president Amit Shah said the party “will get a bigger mandate” in the 2019 lok Sabha polls.
Terming the massive win in Uttar Pradesh as approval of the BJP-led NDA Government’s pro-poor policies, Shah said the party’s victory march will continue in upcoming polls in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat as well the eastern and southern parts of the country.
Besides Shah, senior leaders Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, JP Nadda, Ananth Kumar, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhra Raje and that of Madhaya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan also attended the felicitation function.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister asked the people to take a pledge and express their commitment to building a new India on his Narendra Modi Mobile App. “A new India is emerging, which is being powered by the strength & skills of 125 crore Indians. This India stands for development,” Modi tweeted.
“When we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we should have made an India that will make Gandhi Ji, Sardar Patel and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar proud,” he added.
In a statement on his website narendramodi.in, the Prime Minister said, “Together, let us build the India of our dreams so that when we mark 75 years of freedom in 2022, we have an India that will make Gandhiji, Sardar Patel and Babasaheb Ambedkar proud.”