All hail King Modi: Meeting after the success. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked BJP parliamentarians to work towards turning the youth into "ambassadors" of the government's people-oriented schemes and said the perception of the ruling coalition had changed from a "working" government to a "performing" government.
Modi, who addressed a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party here after the party’s strong performance in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly polls, urged its MPs to keep working hard as no one would be allowed to sit idle.
Modi was given a rousing reception by party leaders at the meeting. Besides its sweeping victories in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP has also formed coalition governments in Goa and Manipur. Modi was the party’s chief campaigner in the assembly polls in five states.
BJP President Amit Shah, who was present at the meeting, sought to set the tempo for party’s preparations for the next Lok Sabha elections.
“Be ready, the target is 2019,” he said.
Laddoos, made in Tirupati, were specially flown in a cargo flight for distribution at the parliamentary party meeting to celebrate the party’s success.
A BJP leader, who attended the meeting, said Modi urged members to keep working hard to fulfil promises made to the people.
“Modiji said he will keep working and asked us to do the same. He said he will not sit idle and will not let anyone sit idle,” said the leader, who did not want to be named.
Modi, he said, urged party leaders to be “vistarak” (one who spreads a message) and work with dedication among the poor to make them aware of the government’s schemes.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told media persons that the Prime Minister urged BJP members to make the youth “ambassadors” of the government’s public welfare schemes.
According to Kumar, Modi said the youth depended on mobile phones more than on newspapers and TV channels to get information and stressed on the need to use this medium of communication to reach out to them.
Party leaders said the BJP has planned various programmes across the country from April 6 — party’s foundation day — to April 14 — the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, regarded as the architect of India’s Constitution.
Kumar said Modi asked party leaders to work during the week to popularise BHIM app — a biometric payment system app to facilitate e-payments directly through banks — by educating people about its benefits and helping them install it on their mobile phones.
He said Modi termed BHIM app as “new currency” and that there was a need to popularise it among poorer sections including street vendors and hawkers.
Modi also urged the party leaders to publicise Ambedkar’s works and contributions.
A party leader said Modi made caustic remarks about leaders who have created controversies in the past with their remarks.
“Muhfat logo ko mera sadar pranaam (My respects to leaders who speak without thinking),” the leader quoted Modi saying.
Another leader said Modi told the meeting about the perception that the government had grown more positive over the past year.
“When we celebrated the second anniversary of the government last year, there was a perception about the government that it was working but this perception has changed now. People have started feeling that this government is performing,” a leader quoted Modi as saying.
Modi also asked the party leaders to suggest innovative ideas for celebrating the BJP-led government’s third anniversary in May this year.
In his remarks, Shah said the party’s win in the state assembly polls was an outcome of people’s vote against “casteism, family rule and appeasement”.
“India has suffered a lot due to these three stints. India’s polity has raised itself above these all,” Shah said.
“The developmental journey, which began from Gujarat, has now been accepted by the whole country,” he added. (IANS)