BJP leaders gear up to celebrate 8 years of Modi government

NEW DELHI: Elaborate preparations are underway to mark eight years of the Narendra Modi government on May 30 by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the central government, people familiar with the matter said.

Celebrations of the government’s anniversary have been muted over the past two years on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a little over a month to go for the anniversary, a committee headed by BJP national general secretary Arun Singh and information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur met on Monday at BJP headquarters.

The preparations are significant as last year the anniversary came in the midst of a deadly second wave, and the government and the BJP marked the day by dedicating it to the welfare of Covid orphans. The theme was all about sewa, or service. This year too, the tone is likely to remain subdued even though the country’s Covid-19 caseload is low and almost all eligible adults are fully vaccinated.

In an internal communication plan reviewed by HT, the government has pitched for an outdoor media blitzkrieg with the theme of Pradhan Mantri se Pradhan Sevak.

The 72-year-old Prime Minister has often talked about his modest upbringing, how it represents the possibility of an ordinary person attaining the highest office in the country, and how he views his role as someone who serves.

The campaign will focus on this journey through photographs and posters capturing some key moments. While neither Singh nor Thakur commented on the preparations, everyone in the party feels it is a momentous occasion which should be marked.

“Modi’s public life is to serve the people and not for political power. For him, political position is for governance and administration. That’s the reason the poor are getting direct benefits and, therefore, electing the BJP in state after state,’’ said senior party leader Dinesh Trivedi.