Hat-trick points to a hat-trick in 2024, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Bharatiya Janata Party's victories in three heartland states as an endorsement of his policies and a sign of a hat-trick win in the 2024 general elections. Modi highlighted the support of women, youth, farmers, and the poor, and warned the opposition against negativity. The BJP won three out of four state elections held in November, with Congress winning in Telangana. Modi also accused the Congress of attempting to divide the country on the basis of caste. He promised to fulfill the promises made to women and mothers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s “historic and unprecedented” hat-trick of victories in three heartland states were a harbinger of a hat-trick for the party in next year’s general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday as he hailed the party’s impressive performances as an endorsement of his policies for a developed India, while framing women, youth, farmers and the poor as the only four castes he was determined to uplift.
Modi made the comments while taking a victory lap at the BJP office in New Delhi on Sunday evening. Alighting from his vehicle, Modi waived to hundreds of jubilant supporters, accompanied by party president JP Nadda, and walked a short distance up to a dais where he sat along with Nadda and senior Cabinet ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh.
“I generally stay away from making predictions. But I broke this convention this time to say that we are winning. Some people are saying that this hat-trick has given a guarantee of a hat-trick in 2024,” he said to resounding applause by a galaxy of ministers, leaders, supporters, and workers. He was referring to the BJP’s quest for a third consecutive term at the Centre next year.
In an hour-long speech, the PM said the BJP’s wins were a mandate for development and the resolution to make India developed country by 2047 adopted by his government. He particularly thanked women, youth and tribes (adivasis), crediting the success of the party in these rounds of elections to these voting blocs. The PM’s speech focused on these demographics that are expected to form the core of the party’s 2024 expansion push, while delivering a positive message, and warning the Opposition and detractors against negativity.
“I want to say on the basis on my track record, your dreams are my mission, they are also my resolution,” he said. “I humbly tell our sisters and mothers that the promises we have made will be fulfilled 100%. This is Modi’s guarantee and Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee is fulfilled.”
The BJP won three of the four key state elections on Sunday, with emphatic successes in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The Congress won in Telangana, trouncing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
A sixth of the country’s electorate, or about 160 million people, were eligible to vote in polls held in November.
Modi accused the Opposition Congress and its allies of attempts to divide the country on the basis of caste. “But for me there are four big castes, namely, women, youth, farmers and the poor. Women and youth power, these are our biggest castes. Today, our OBC (other backward classes) friends in large numbers come from these four castes.”
He added: “These four castes have shown enthusiasm and faith in our policies.”
A large banner behind the dais where the PM was seated summed up the theme of the PM’s victory speech. “He weaves reality, not dreams. That is why everyone chooses Modi,” it read.
A big focus of the speech was women and young voters. “When women decide to give someone their protection, then no harm can come. I want to congratulate women power today; women decided that the flag of BJP should fly high,” he said.
The BJP is the biggest guarantor of the safety and progress of women, the PM said, adding, that the central government had provided women with concrete houses, toilets, doorstep water connection, bank accounts, subsidised cooking cylinders and more.
“They have seen how the BJP has worked relentlessly to increase their share in the economy. Women’s development is a pillar of the BJP. That is why women, sisters and mothers took the responsibility of making BJP win,” he said.
Referring to Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh — two states where the BJP displaced Congress governments — Modi warned the Opposition that it will be wiped out if they worked against the interest of young people. “We can’t go back, Modi can never go back. People want stability and want to see India become a developed nation in 2047,” he said.
“Whenever governments work against the young, they lose. Paper leak and recruitment scams… that’s why the government in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are out of power. The youths of Bharat know that only BJP works for their interest.”
The PM said he would “advise” the Congress to give up politics that “strengthened anti-nationals and those who wanted to weaken the country”.
The third key constituency the PM thanked were tribespeople, who form key voting blocs in both Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where the BJP won. He accused the Congress of neglecting tribal interests. That was the reason why the Opposition party, he said, was uprooted from Gujarat.
“Adivasis are aspiring for development and they know only BJP can fulfil these aspirations. Ten crore adivasis now have the confidence to talk openly.”
Modi said when he addressed the first election rally in a tribal bloc in Chhattisgarh, he said he hadn’t come to “ask for anything but to invite them for the swearing in ceremony of a BJP government” in the state. “Where hopes from others end, Modi’s guarantee begins.”
Modi referred to various programmes of the central government and said, “India progresses when states progress.”
The PM also said his government extended the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, a scheme to give free foodgrain programme to 800 million beneficiaries, for the next five years.
The Union government had built concrete houses for 40 million families and a programme to link every rural household with a water connection was speedily moving, Modi said, adding: “This is a historic win; it is a win of thought, a win for the mission for Viksit Bharat (developed India) and win for an Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat.”
Attacking the Congress, Modi said Sunday’s mandate showed there was “zero-tolerance” for corruption, appeasement and nepotism. “The country feels that only BJP can finish these three evils. The central government’s war against corruption has won great faith among voters. People don’t support those who throw muck at investigating agencies.”
In recent years, a number of opposition parties have alleged that federal investigating agencies were targeting governments run by non-BJP parties at the behest of the ruling party.
The results are a great lesson for the “Congress and its arrogant alliance”. Criticising the INDIA bloc, Modi said, “There can be a good photo op by opting for such an alliance but it can’t win the trust of people... Whenever there is development, the Congress opposes. When we launch Vande Bharat, Congress and their allies make fun of it. They try to create hurdles to welfare programmes for the poor. Voters are saying behave or we will wipe you out. Today there is a lesson, don’t try to come between the Centre and the funds the Centre sends for states.”
Modi said these elections would reverberate across the world. “Today the wheels of the economy are moving fast. Some people were saying the impact of global slowdown will impact India, but India is the fastest growing economy in the world. People of India vote for stability and this will increase investor confidence in our country.”
Though the BJP finished in third place in Telangana, PM also thanked the people of the state, saying in every election, their support has only increased, and promised that he would work hard to fulfil their aspirations in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — proving, once again, that the BJP election machine never stops.