Will outdo ’14 tally: BJP CMS after Modi meeting

POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE THREE POLLBOUND STATES, MP, RAJASTHAN AND CHHATTISGARH (ALL GOVERNED BY

THE BJP), WAS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT THE CONCLAVE

NEW DELHI: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has resolved to achieve a mandate bigger than its record tally in 2014 in the 2019 elections, and under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said on Tuesday after an interaction between Prime Minister Modi, party president Amit Shah and BJP chief ministers at the party headquarters.

“2019 mein sabhi ko saath le kar aage badhenge (we will move ahead by taking everyone along in 2019),” Singh said at a press conference after Modi addressed 14 CMS (excluding Manohar Parrikar) of states the BJP governs on its own (there are two others that it governs through alliances). The BJP secured 282 seats, its highest ever, and the most by any party in three decades, in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Singh added that there was no discussion on alliances or any manifesto for 2019, and that the focus was on implementation of central schemes. “The Opposition has not be able to finalise its leader. They will not be able to finalise it until the next elections. There is no vacancy for the prime minister’s post. We have resolved to return to power with a greater majority,” he said.

The conclave discussed in detail the political situation in the three poll-bound states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh (all governed by the BJP).

PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah offered “valuable suggestions” to the respective chief ministers, said Singh, who was accompanied by Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav at the press conference.