As representatives of 38 parties of the National Democratic alliance (NDA) congregated in Delhi this week to chalk out a strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha general elections next year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he would leave no stone unturned for the nation’s development.
While addressing the NDA meeting in the Indian capital, PM Modi said, "I assure you (people) that I will leave no stone unturned in my hard work and efforts. Mere shareer ka har kann, mere samay ka har shan, desh ko hi samarpit hai (Every particle of my body, every moment of my time is dedicated to the country)."
Prime Minister Modi said the NDA will secure over 50 per cent of the total votes polled in next year's Lok Sabha elections.
"The NDA got 38 per cent (of the total votes polled) in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Acknowledging the work that we put in to safeguard our national interests, people reposed their faith in us and gave us 45 per cent of the (total) vote share in the 2019 elections. All our alliance partners are working sincerely and dedicatedly, which gives me the confidence that we will get over 50 per cent vote share in 2024," PM Modi said.
Further, in a veiled attack at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remark at an event in London earlier this year, questioning why the "defenders to democracies" were unmoved over the prevailing state of affairs in India, PM Modi said even when the NDA was in the Opposition, it never insulted the people's mandate or took help of foreign powers to destabilise the ruling governments.
"Even when we were in the Opposition, we always preached and practised positive politics. We unearthed scams of previous governments but never questioned or insulted the mandate of the people. We never took the help of foreign powers against the ruling governments. We never created hurdles to development schemes meant for the welfare of the country and its people," PM Modi said.
Countering the Opposition parties, which at their second joint meeting in Bengaluru named their alliance as I.N.D.I.A (India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), Prime Minister Modi said the NDA stands for "New India, Development, Aspiration".
"For the NDA, it is nation first, security of the nation first, progress first and the empowerment of the people first," PM Modi said.
Modi also voiced optimism of the BJP-led NDA returning for a third, straight, term at the Centre in 2024, adding that India will become the world's third-largest economy during his next tenure.
PM Modi said: "In 2014 (before the BJP-led NDA came to power), our economy was languishing in the 10th position. Today, we are at the fifth position. During our third term, we will become the third-largest economy in the world. We are working hard to accomplish this goal."
He stated further that people have already made up their minds to bring back the NDA at the Centre.
"For their political interests, these (Opposition) leaders can come close but they can never truly come together. The 2024 elections are not far and the people have already made up their minds to bring the NDA for a third time."
(ANI)