Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Came with hope in 2014, trust in 2019, guarantee in 2024: PM ‘NOT AN ORDINARY ELECTION’: MODI IN LETTER TO ALL NDA CANDIDATES

- Utpal Parashar HT Correspond­ent

GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said he went to people with hope in 2014 and trust in 2019, and is reaching out with a “guarantee” this year, as he outlined his pitch to voters two days before the crucial Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to kick off across the country.

He also said that the North-east plays a major role in making India a developed country, and accused the Congress and Communist parties of meting out “injustice” unlike his government, which “prioritise­d” the region.

Modi was addressing rallies in Nalbari in Assam and Agartala in Tripura – his first public meetings in the North-east for this year’s general elections – when he made the remarks. While polling in Tripura will be held during the first two out of the seven phases, voting in Assam will be held in the first three phases. “In 2014, I came to you with a ray of hope. In 2019, I came to you with a trust and today, I have come to Assam’s soil with a guarantee. Modi’s guarantee means it’s a guarantee of fulfilling a guarantee,” he said at Borkura ground in Nalbari.

The North-east states are a witness to Modi’s guarantee as the Congress had only given problems to the region but the BJP has made it a source of possibilit­ies, he said. “Congress fuelled insurgency but Modi embraced people and brought peace in the region. What

not be achieved in 60 years of Congress rule, Modi achieved it in 10 years,” he added.

At the rally, Modi said the birth celebratio­ns of Lord Ram on Wednesday were held after 500 years with a “Surya Tilak” ceremony at the temple in Ayodhya. He asked people to switch on the flashlight­s of their mobile phones as rituals were being held at the temple. “We cannot join the celebratio­ns in Ayodhya, but let us participat­e in the event by switching on our mobile flashlight­s and sending light and prayers to Lord Ram,” he said.

Later in the day in Agartala, Modi hit out at the Congress and CPI(M), saying the two parties used to be arch-rivals in the northeaste­rn state and were compelled to stitch an alliance to make sure their “loot ki dukaan” could run.

“When the Left used to rule Tripura and Congress was the principal opposition party, corruption took centre stage in governance.

There was an organised loot of resources. Just to protect this ‘loot ki dukan’, both parties have now entered into an electoral understand­ing,” he said at the rally held at Swami Vivekanand­a Maidan.

Hitting back, Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah said on X: “The Modi Sarkar has failed the people of the Assam & NE on every front…. Issues which was promised by him during last two parliament­ary election campaign.”

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the firstphase polling for the Lok Sabha elections for 102 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wrote a personalis­ed letter to all candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), asking them to create awareness in their respective constituen­cies about the problems that were faced by people during the Congress rule.

“Through this letter, I would like to tell the people of your constituen­cy that this is not an ordinary election. Families across India, especially the senior members, would remember the difficulti­es they have gone through in the 5-6 decades of Congress’ rule,” Modi wrote in the personalis­ed letter to each NDA candidate contesting in the first phase on Friday.

The Bjp-led NDA is banking on Modi’s popularity and the last 10 years’ governance record as it aims to win 400 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The ruling party claims that in the last decade it has improved the quality of life of every section of society.

Referring to the same in the letter, Modi pointed out that the government has been able to address many problems that people faced.

“Yet, a lot more is still to be done and this election will be decisive in our mission to ensure a better life for everyone,” he wrote. “This election is an opportunit­y to connect our present with a bright future. Every vote that the BJP gets will go towards forming a stable government and impart momentum in our journey to become a developed nation by 2047. At this crucial time, I also urge you and all other workers to make full use of the last few hours of the election campaign.” Modi also urged the candidates to take care of their health. “I am aware that the summer heat poses problems to everyone... I appeal to the voters to cast their votes early in the morning, before the heat sets in,” he added.

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