Stick to nationalism, it is our identity: PM
His message: Communicate, promote welfare schemes
NEW DELHI: Nationalism is the BJP’s identity and we must stick to it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told party leaders on Tuesday as he sought to brush aside criticism over the ruling alliance’s strident views on patriotism.
Modi addressed 350-odd party leaders in a meeting of the BJP’s core group from every state and was aimed at stock taking ahead of assembly elections in five states early next year.
“When in power, running the party gets difficult. People always watch your moves,” Modi said as he stressed on nationalism, an issue that has stoked a raging debate for allegedly veering towards jingoism in the backdrop of a fresh uprising in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activism by self-styled cow protection groups.
Modi said it was nationalism that brought the BJP to power in 2014.
He said winning elections was not just an ambition but a means to strengthen the country and underlined the importance of collective decision making and remaining connected to downtrodden.
Modi also stressed the need to communicate with the masses, remain connected with the downtrodden, execute welfare schemes for them, not to fall in the opposition trap, dispel perception about BJP being opposed to a section of the society and synergy between the government and the party.
Modi spoke of building party structure at the booth level and gaining confidence of “wellmeaning” people in the society.
He advised party leaders against lobbying of any sorts to secure ticket to contest election and said the level of understanding about the execution of central government’s scheme in respective areas would be a yardstick to finalise candidates.
Party president Amit Shah gave a pep talk at the session, first of its kind before key electoral challenges in next two years.
“Shah appears to have started preparing for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. He doesn’t want any slip,” a BJP office bearer said.
Shah told BJP’s state government should roll out pro-people schemes, get aggressive in states where it is in opposition and expand in regions where the party is weak.
Coordination between government and the party besides adhering to the ideology was also underlined. Shah wants focus on training cadre and told party to take up programmes from district to national level. “BJP should provide corruption free government in states,” he said.
Half way through its term at the Centre, the BJP leadership feels it is time to prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. But, the next year will be busy too. The country’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh and Modi and Shah’s home state of Gujarat are among those due for assembly elections.