PM Modi attacks Oppn at 39-party meet, says country trusts NDA
Modi dismissed the Opposition grouping, saying it was a negative and corrupt alliance while the NDA had pure intent, a clear policy and decisiveness
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a rainbow of regional aspirations that puts the nation first and is trusted by India because it is a formation with a positive agenda and wasn’t conceived to grab power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a conclave of 39 allies on Tuesday evening, attempting to draw a sharp contrast between the ruling coalition and an Opposition grouping that came together earlier in the day.
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Speaking in Delhi hours after 26 Opposition parties announced a coalition and named it INDIA, Modi told his allies that NDA stood for “New India, Developed India, and the Aspiration of the people”, hitting out at what he described as negative alliances built by the corrupt to peddle dynasty politics, casteism, and regionalism.
“NDA is totally different... for us the alliance is not majboori (compulsion), but mazbooti ka madhyam (means of strength). It is not a coalition of compulsions, but of contributions,” he said at a meeting of 38 NDA constituents convened in Delhi. “NDA brought stability to the country, and helped take timeless decisions. This is why India trusts the NDA…and people in foreign countries also know who holds the popular mandate.”
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The 38 listed parties together won 42% of the votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and won 323 seats (excluding the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena, both of whom are embroiled in party disputes). The BJP later released a statement saying 39 parties attended the meeting, however, information was not immediately available on which the 39th party was.
Earlier in the day, the Opposition announced its pre-poll coalition would be called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, INDIA, to take on the NDA in the 2024 general elections, setting the state for a battle of alliances.
But Modi dismissed the Opposition grouping, saying it was a negative and corrupt alliance while the NDA had pure intent, a clear policy and decisiveness. “Political alliances have a long history in our country, but whichever alliance was made with negativity, was never successful...” he added.
The PM also sought to allay concerns that the BJP would ride roughshod over smaller allies. “I assure you and through you the people, that I will not allow any let up in my efforts, I can make a mistake, but I will stay away from bad neeyat (bad intent),” he said.
The NDA also passed a resolution that said the partners will contest the Lok Sabha polls under Modi’s leadership for a third consecutive time.
Modi sought to draw a comparison between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress led-United Progressive Alliance that ruled the country for a decade between 2004 to 2014, and said an alliance built on contradictions and compromises could never deliver.
“When it is a compromise for power, compulsions, dynastic, caste and regional issues - it harms the country. Before 2014, there was an alliance government that somehow pulled through, but what did the country get? A high command over the PM, policy paralysis, inability to take decisions, chaos, tussles, corruption and scams worth lakhs and crores,” Modi said.
The 38 outfits comprise two national parties, 29 state parties, and seven unrecognised parties. Thirty-four of the 38 parties won less than three seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections; and 22 got none (Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party not considered).
Referring to Opposition parties that were earlier opponents and ideologically incompatible but were now making attempts to come together, the PM said their motives were apparent.
“The people are watching, why these parties are getting together, what is the glue joining them and how for smaller selfish reasons they are compromising...In Kerala the Left and the Congress bay for each other’s blood, however, in Bengaluru, the leaders of both parties are joining hands. In Bengal, the Trinamool Congress is attacking the workers of the Left and Congress. However, the leaders of these parties are silent on these attacks. This is not a mission but majboori (compulsion),” he said.
Referring to regional satraps such as the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu & Kashmir, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Janata Dal (United) in Bihar – parties that were earlier opponents but now coming together as part of an alliance – Modi said it was either shadow boxing or a friendship based on compulsion. “Yeh pass pass to aa sakte hai, saath nahi (they can come closer but not together),” the PM said, adding that these parties now expected their workers to welcome those who they criticised in the past.
Tracing the journey of the NDA from the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government till now, he said the people’s faith in the coalition has only gone up. “In 1998 NDA was formed... it was not intended to grab power. It was not against anyone, it was not to dislodge anyone from the seat of power, but to bring stability to the country. When there is stability then the country takes decisions that can change its direction...” he said.
“Our social scientists, political and economic scientists look at the NDA as a positive force. Our agenda, our resolution, our sentiment and our path are positive,” he went on to say.
Even as he listed the policies of the NDA government in the last nine years that he said were drafted with the intent to change lives for the better, he alleged that Opposition-ruled state governments were stalling the implementation of central schemes for their own political motives.
“We did positive politics even when we were in the opposition and fulfilled our responsibility. We opposed governments and exposed their scams but did not insult the people’s mandate. We did not ever seek help from outside. We did not create impediments or become barriers. Today the state governments do not allow policies or do not allow them to pick up pace. They feel if the poor benefit from it, how will their politics survive?” he said.
Modi said that the people had made up their mind to give the NDA a third term. “No country invests time and energy in an outgoing government...but things are different for India. Many important countries such as the USA, UK, Australia, UAE invite representatives of NDA are giving respect to India because they know the people of India trust the NDA,” he said.
Laying out the red carpet for the allies, the PM sought to allay concerns that the BJP would pay the big partner, overlooking the interests of smaller factions, or subsuming their identity. He also sought to make amends for what he said were “mistakes” of the past, and said his biggest asset was the love and blessings from the allies that did not diminish.
“No party is big or small, we are all moving ahead in the same direction. In 2014 and in 2019, we got more seats, but the government was that of the NDA,” he said.
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