Focus on good governance, improving people’s lives: PM Modi at NDA CMs’ meet

BJP’s 13 CMs, 16 deputy CMs along with NDA leaders discuss agenda of alliance. The timing of the show of strength is crucial as the NDA is set to take on the Congress-led INDIA alliance in assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand next month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired a closed-door meeting of chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of the National Democratic Alliance-ruled states in Chandigarh on Thursday, said the NDA is committed to furthering national progress and empowering the poor and downtrodden.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Union ministers, NDA-ruled states’ chief ministers and others, during a meeting in Chandigarh on Thursday. (ANI)

The meeting, which is seen as a show of strength of the BJP-led NDA after the party got shot in the arm after victory in the Haryana assembly polls, also discussed the “development-oriented agenda” of the NDA, people familiar with the development said. The meeting lasted for around five-and-a-half hours against the slot of four hours kept for the meeting from the PM’s schedule.

After the meeting, the PM wrote on X, “We had extensive discussions on aspects of good governance and ways to improve people’s lives. Our alliance is committed to furthering national progress and empowering the poor and downtrodden.”

BJP’s national president JP Nadda, while addressing select mediapersons, stated the meeting was the largest non-Congress congregation held for the betterment of the nation. He said Union home minister Amit Shah presented a resolution on the Emergency (imposed in 1975), terming it murder of democracy.

According to Nadda, with the Emergency episode marking the 50th year in 2025, the BJP and its allies would expose the leaders who were perpetrators of emergency.

Nadda stated another resolution was also passed to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda and Vallabh Bhai Patel and 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2025.

“Discussions on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Digital India’ were taken up by Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh CM) and Digital India campaign’s progress by Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami. The target of 5 trillion economy of the country was also discussed,” said Nadda.

Besides, TB-free Bharat, environmental campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ and other campaigns were also discussed for implementation in all states, the BJP national president mentioned.

BJP’s national chief said the meeting also discussed how after independence, it happened for the first time that the J&K CM took oath as per the Indian Constitution whereas the erstwhile CMs of J&K took oath as per erstwhile constitution of J&K.

As many as 13 CMs and 16 deputy CMs from the BJP, along with CMs from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland and Meghalaya, which are governed by NDA partners, participated in the meeting.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar could not attend the meeting. Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal and deputy CM Diya Kumari were also absent as they were on their prefixed overseas visit. No media briefing was done about the meeting by any leader present in the meeting.

Earlier in the day, the dignitaries attended swearing-in ceremony of Nayab Singh Saini as the Haryana CM for the second consecutive term and his council of ministers.

The timing of the show of strength by the BJP is crucial as the NDA is set to take on the Congress-led INDIA alliance in crucial assembly polls for Maharashtra and Jharkhand scheduled next month.