For India’s benefit PM Modi seeks stronger mandate

NEW DELHI,

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked the BJP cadre to work with renewed vigour and confidence for the next 100 days to reach out to new voters and win their confidence to ensure the party’s return to power in the Lok Sabha elections with a stronger mandate. Addressing the BJP national convention here, Modi said the nation will now have to dream big and make big resolutions to make India a developed country by 2047. “The next five years are going to be crucial. We have to take a big leap towards ‘Viksit Bharat’. The first imperative is to ensure the return of the BJP to power in strong numbers,” the Prime Minister said. The two-day convention of the BJP was attended by nearly 10,000 members of the party from across the country. In his 65-minute speech at the Bharat Mandapam, Modi slammed the Opposition, particularly the Congress, saying it lacked the courage to take on the BJP ideologically or on the basis of principles.

“The Congress is demoralised... Therefore, abusing Modi and levelling false allegations against me have become the single-point agenda of its leaders,” he added. The Prime Minister said that even Opposition leaders are now raising slogans in favour of more than 400 Lok Sabha seats for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). “But, for NDA to cross 400, the BJP will have to cross the milestone of 370,” Modi said. He said every country across the world is now keen to forge a deeper relationship with India. “Elections are yet to take place, but I already have invitations from different countries for July, August and September. This means that several countries across the world are also completely confident about the return of the BJP Government,” he said. Modi said that every country across the world knows “aayega toh...” as the gathering shouted “...Modi hi. Aayega toh Modi hi.”

The Prime Minister said fulfilling the dreams of crores of women, poor and youth is his mission. “We rid the country of mega scams and terror attacks, and made efforts to improve the living standards of the poor and the middle class,” he said. Modi said he is seeking a third term not to enjoy power but to work for the nation. “If I had thought of my home, it would not have been possible to build homes for crores of people,” he said. He said 10 years of unblemished governance and pulling 25 crore people out of poverty were no ordinary feats. “A senior leader once told me I had done enough as PM and CM, I should rest. But I am working for ‘rashtraniti’, not ‘rajneeti’,” he said.