Coining a new meaning for National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as “New India, Developed India, and Aspirational India”, caretaker Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, said that the alliance is committed to the principle of ‘Nation First.’ He also assured that the new government, would put empowering poor, and middle class on priority.
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Around 300 Members of Parliament belonging to the NDA assembled in Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan (Old Parliament building) on Friday afternoon, to elect Modi as the leader of the alliance, as well as the 18th Lok Sabha. The proposal to nominate Modi as leader of the BJP, NDA, and Lok Sabha, was moved by Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh, which was seconded by Senior BJP leaders, Amit Shah, and Nitin Gadkari. Leaders of alliance parties – TDP, JD (U), LJP (Ram Vilas), Shiv Sena, NCP (Ajit), HAM (S) and Jan Sena supported the motion.
“Significantly, there was no separate BJP parliamentary party meeting as has been the norm. It was a cumulative meeting of the NDA, in which Rajnath Singh moved a resolution to elect Modi as leader of the BJP, NDA and the Lok Sabha.”
Later, addressing all MPs, PM Modi said, that voters from 22 states have voted the NDA to power. “Our alliance truly reflects the spirit of India. No pre-poll alliance has been as successful as the NDA,” he said. “This is the most successful alliance in India‘s history, we will aim to reach unanimity in all our decisions,” He said, while assuring that he would strive to ensure unanimity in all decisions of his next government.
He said mutual trust was at the core of this alliance, and they were committed to the principle of ‘sarv pantha sambhava’ (all sects are equal). Modi said, asserting the NDA knows very well how to digest victory. “We have never lost. Our conduct following June 4, shows that we know how to digest victory,” the PM said, and attacked opposition parties.
“The NDA is not a grouping of parties that have come together to get power, it is committed to the principle of ‘nation first’,” he said. However, ‘INDI alliance” parties, have already started saying they came together only for the Lok Sabha polls. Such an approach showed their character, hunger for power, he said.
Taking a dig at the Congress, he said the opposition party could not even touch the 100 seats mark, and that their total seats in the last three LS polls were fewer than the BJP’s tally in this election alone. “We are glad to note that for the first time, one of our representatives has emerged victorious in Kerala. We have been having a brilliant performance in Arunachal Pradesh. In Sikkim also, we have almost registered a ‘clean sweep’. In Andhra Pradesh, it is a historic victory. The way NDA’s vote share has increased in Tamil Nadu, clearly shows what is in the offing,” Modi said.
Modi said, that his government believes in competitive, and cooperative federalism. Giving agenda for years to come he said his government in next 10 years ,will focus on good governance, development, quality of life, and minimum interference in the lives of common citizens. “Our last 10 years was just a trailer. We will work much harder, faster for the development of our country. People know we will deliver,” he said.
Using ‘A’ of NDA to signify aspirations of Indians, Modi said that empowering the poor, and middle class, will be his government’s top priority. “Today, the middle class has emerged as a driving force in Bharat’s growth story. We will continue to ensure welfare of our people, and will continue to deliver ‘quality of life’ to all,” he said.