New Delhi : Making predictions about the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will return to power with over 400 seats, with the BJP poised to secure 370 seats.
“I don’t fall into the trap of figures, but I am sure the BJP alone will get 370 seats and the NDA will get more than 400 seats…. I have immense faith in the people of our nation,” the Prime Minister said while replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha.
Seemingly already in an election mood, Modi said “Abki baar,” and BJP members joined him in unison to say “400 paar.” “Even Kharge ji is saying the same thing,” Modi added, tongue-in-cheek. The PM was referring to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who while speaking in the Rajya Sabha last week, had sarcastically referred to the BJP’s claim of winning over 400 seats in the coming general elections.
He said the NDA’s third term would be the one that would see big decisions and lay the foundation for the next 1,000 years.
Launching a scathing attack on the opposition, particularly the Congress, Modi said: “The opposition has decided to remain as opposition for a long time, and they have lost the courage to even contest elections”.
Taking a veiled jab at Congress MP and party’s former president Rahul Gandhi, Modi said: “Congress’ shop is on verge of closure in its attempt to launch the same product again and again.”
“The Congress is responsible for the current condition of the opposition. Congress had an opportunity to become a good opponent. However, they failed to fulfil their responsibility in the last ten years,” Modi said.
During his address, the prime minister lashed out at the Congress on development issues as well.
“On the basis of the experience of 10 years of governance, looking at today’s strong economy and the rapid speed with which India is progressing today, I can confidently say that in our third term, India will be the third largest economic power. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.
He accused the Congress of being “trapped in cancel culture. “It seeks to cancel every achievement and success of the country.”
PM Modi quoted from the 2014 interim Budget and said, “India was the 11th largest economy in 2014. Today, India is the 5th largest economy, and yet Congress is silent”.
He added: “they had even lost the ability to dream…Modi guarantees that in our third term, India will be the third largest economic power.”
Highlighting the achievements of the NDA government, Modi said the pace at which the country is growing is something Congress couldn’t even imagine. “For the urban poor, we constructed 4 crore houses. With Congress’ pace, the same amount of work would’ve taken 100 years.”.
“We gave 17 crore gas connections in 10 years. With Congress’ pace, this would’ve taken 60 years. Sanitation coverage has reached 100%, up from 40% in our government. This would’ve taken 60–70 years in Congress’s government,” PM Modi added.
Hailing ‘Nari Shakti’, he said in the last ten years, the BJP government has worked for women’s empowerment. In every sector, women are excelling.
“We have as many as 1 crore Lakhpati Didi, and the way we are moving ahead, we will soon have 3 core Lakhpati Didi,” he added.
Modi said during Congress rule, the total budget for the farming sector was Rs 25,000 crore, which the NDA government has increased to Rs 1.25 lakh crore.”
“Congress during its ten years (2004-2014 when the Congress-led UPA governed the country), purchased grains worth Rs 7 lakh crore. ” We have purchased grains worth Rs 18 lakh crore from farmers in ten years,” the PM said.
Replying to the opposition attack on misuse of central agencies, Modi said, “The investigation agencies of our country are independent. I will continue to fight against corruption, and those who have looted the country will have to return.”
He added that ED seized just Rs 5,000 crore during Congress rule, but the figure has reached Rs 1 lakh crore under the NDA government.
Later, the House adopted the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses by voice vote, negating opposition members’ amendments.
