Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the first two of his series of meetings with groups of NDA MPs, said the MPs should spend as much time as possible in their constituencies with a positive message about the NDA government’s work, and that while the Opposition alliance might have changed its name from the UPA to INDIA, the “taint of corruption and misgovernance” would not be washed off.
NDA MPs have been divided into 10 region-wise clusters of 30-45 MPs and will be meeting with Mr. Modi throughout the Monsoon Session of Parliament. On Monday, the Prime Minister met with two of these clusters, 44 NDA MPs from western Uttar Pradesh and Kanpur and Bundelkhand, and around 30 MPs from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. “The NDA government has been serving the people and MPs must spend as much time as possible in their areas to bring the message home,” Mr. Modi is reported to have told the MPs.
According to the sources, the Prime Minister said that the Opposition alliance would not be able to wash off its “sins of corruption and misgovernance” by changing its name. Sources had earlier revealed that the BJP, in its referencing of the Opposition alliance against it would be mentioning the name “UPA” as well, to “remind people of the chequered record of that government,” said a senior source in the BJP.
Mr. Modi also told the NDA MPs that the alliance had a history of abiding by coalition dharma. “In Bihar, Nitish Kumar was the NDA Chief Minister even though the BJP had more MLAs than the JD(U),” he is reported to have said.
25 years in existence
The meetings have been organised to mark the NDA’s 25 years in existence and shape its strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. A presentation on the NDA government’s achievements and work was also made in these meetings and Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and BJP president J.P. Nadda also addressed the meetings.
While there was no official word in the addresses of top BJP leaders, including Mr. Modi, sources said the focus was on basically asking MPs to gird up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls next year. The Prime Minister also expressed confidence about the ruling alliance retaining power at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The meetings also follow Mr. Modi’s sharp words for the Opposition during a meeting of the BJP’s parliamentary party held last week where he said that even reviled names such as East India Company and Indian Mujahideen had the word India in them, and that such a change in moniker would not fool the people.
