BJP for youth, Dalits
PM sets tenor for 2019 polls; focuses on colleges, mobiles
After the BJP’s stupendous performance in the recently-held Assembly elections, the party top brass on Thursday asked leaders and legislators to be ready for the 2019 general election, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi informing them that “na main baithunga na baithne doonga (I will not rest, nor will I let others rest).” BJP president Amit Shah asked party leaders to be ready for the Lok Sabha elections, and asserted that the party’s recent victories were an outcome of people’s vote against casteism, family rule and corruption, and in favour of Mr Modi’s leadership.
The BJP parliamentary party gave a standing ovation to Mr Modi and also passed a resolution on the party’s “extraordinary performance” in the Assembly elections in five states. Later, Mr Modi was also greeted in the Rajya Sabha by the treasury benches, who responded to Congress members’ dekho dekho, kaun aaya hai (look who has come)”, by saying: “Hindustan ka sher aaya hai (the lion of India has come).” It was Mr Modi’s first visit to the Upper House after the verdict, and he sat for 15 minutes.
Earlier, at the parliamentary party meeting, Mr Modi gave a roadmap to party leaders, that included reaching out to the youth and continuing with the Dalit outreach programme.
Apparently referring to party leaders’ tendency to make controversial statements, Mr Modi also thanked them for refraining from such statements during the campaign, particularly in UP, when he said, “Un lalon ka bhi abhinandan jinhone muh par taala band rakha”.
The BJP had specially flown in prasadam from Tirupati to congratulate Mr Modi and Mr Shah for the party’s triumph. Nearly 600 laddus were brought from Tirumala.
Addressing his party MPs, Mr Modi asked leaders to organise an exercise between the party’s foundation day on April 6 and Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14.
Urging leaders to make the youth the “ambassadors” of his government’s work, Mr Modi said young people depend on mobile phones more than newspapers and TV channels to get information. He also asked MPs to give their suggestions ahead of his government’s third anniversary.