Ahead of the fourth phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with HT’s R Sukumar, Shishir Gupta, and Sunetra Choudhury and discussed what comes next for his government if the NDA wins the polls. During the interview, Modi also talked about the biggest task left to be done by his government after 10 years in power.
With most analysts predicting a third term for the Modi government, the biggest question remains on the size of the majority NDA may garner. When asked about what will be the biggest theme for his government in the third term, the prime minister said, “When we came to government in 2014, we had to make sure that the mistakes of the past were rectified and a strong foundation was built. Whether it is the poor or farmers or the banking sector or the economy, each of these were in deep trouble.”
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Talking about reforms for the poor, he said, “On the one hand, we took basics like toilets, bank accounts, gas connections, electricity, etc. to the poor and on the other hand, we rescued our banking sector and economy with multiple reforms.”
{{/usCountry}}Talking about reforms for the poor, he said, “On the one hand, we took basics like toilets, bank accounts, gas connections, electricity, etc. to the poor and on the other hand, we rescued our banking sector and economy with multiple reforms.”
{{/usCountry}}“Our country raised crores of people out of poverty and also became the fastest growing economy… Due to the NDA government's reforms during their second term, many sectors, be it start-ups or space, attained a life of their own," he said.
“In the second term, the people saw India becoming the fifth largest economy in the world. Whether it was in terms of action against Article 370 in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, or successful management of Covid-19, or sending vaccines and medicines to various countries, or the foreign policy successes in the post-pandemic world order, many such developments have given the people of India a new-found confidence in themselves and the country’s future,” Modi added.
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Speaking on the third term, if they win, the prime minister said, “The big theme of our third term is about imparting momentum across sectors towards the realisation of this vision.”
"From plans for the next five years to the plan for the first 100 days of the government, we are ready with many targets and are raring to go. A lot needs to be done and will be done. This is going to be one of the most exciting periods in the history of independent India," Modi said.