BJP is holding a two-day convention here as part of its preparations for Lok Sabha polls
There were a host of takeaways from the inaugural day of the BJP's National Convention in the national capital on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructing party workers to put in the rigours for 100 days to ensure a thumping win for the BJP-led NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing party supporters, Prime Minister Modi said that for the BJP, 370 was not just a figure that it should set sights on achieving in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections but it would be their way of paying tribute to saffron ideologue and one of the party's founders, Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
Prime Minister Modi said women are not just 'voters' for the BJP but are 'mothers and sisters' who would shower their electoral blessings on the party in the general elections in support and acknowledgement of the work done by the NDA government for them.
Notably, the Chief Minister's Council meeting of BJP-ruled states will be held tomorrow.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda will attend the meeting at 3:30 pm in Bharat Mandapam on Sunday.
In the meeting, there will be a discussion about the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections and the ongoing schemes of the Central and State Governments.
A political resolution was passed on the inaugural day of the BJP's national convention on Saturday, condemning the violent crackdowns on Opposition protests against alleged excesses on women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali.
The resolution stated that the events in Sandeshkhali in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district have put 'humanity to shame'.
BJP's National President JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also highlighted the development works carried out by the party post-2014.
Noting that some people used to ridicule the BJP over the over dates for the construction of the grand temple at Ayodhya, JP Nadda took a dig at opposition parties over not attending the Pran Prathistha at Ram Temple last month, saying "you (opposition) did not come, these were your deeds".
"We also saw the time when the national convention was held in Palampur in 1989 and it was passed there that we will explore all possibilities for the construction of Ram temple. Some people ridiculed us that we would build the temple there but would not tell us the date. Ram temple was constructed, and on January 22, 2024, the Prime Minister held Pran Prathistha of the idol of Ram Lalla ... You (opposition) did not come, these were your deeds," Mr Nadda said.
In his speech, Nadda talked about the BJP getting a full majority in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and even a bigger majority in the 2019 general elections.
"It was after thirty years that a government with an absolute majority was formed in the country in 2014. Just after five years, in 2019, again, it was a 'Poorn Bahumat Sarkar' under PM Modiji's leadership. Today, we state with pride that the hard work and efforts of our party's leaders have turned our Adhiveshan into 'Maha Adhiveshan'!" Mr Nadda said.
As protesting farmers continued to mass and hold their ground on Delhi's borders on Saturday, amid attempts at a breakthrough in talks with the Centre, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered them as his family members.
"A lot has been done over the last 10 years of this government in the interest of farmers. The highest input cost for farmers is the one that goes into purchasing and sourcing fertilisers. Across the world, today, a bag of urea is priced at Rs 3,000 but in our country, it is available at Rs 300 per bag. The budgetary allocation for the agricultural sector used to be Rs 25,000 crore before 2014. However, it has since been increased to Rs 1,25,000 crore. Nearly Rs 18 lakh crore has been received by farmers in the form of MSP in the last 10 years. Our government has given 2.5 per cent more MSP to the farmers. Also, till now, farmers have received Rs 2,80,000 crore under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. Under PM Safal Bima Yojana, they paid Rs 30 crore in premiums and successfully claimed Rs 1.5 lakh crore," Rajnath Singh said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted that today, India is considered to be the most stable economy in the entire world.
"India's economy has moved from 10th place to 5th. We are considered to be the most stable economy in the entire world...Japan, Germany and Britain are heading towards recession today. When there is a fear of recession in the whole world... When the economy of many countries is going through recession, then the world is looking for economies which are continuously growing and who can be better than India led by Prime Minister Modi...which is currently growing at the fastest pace," she said.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that dozens of generations left with the same wish that Lord Ram should once again reside in his temple, and under the leadership of the Prime Minister, "the temple has been built at the same place where it was decided to get built."
"Today, Lord Ram has been re-established in his grand temple in Ayodhya after 5 centuries. India has been waiting for this day for centuries. Dozens of generations left with the same wish that Lord Ram should once again reside in his temple in Ayodhya. But this waiting and struggle continued. This moment was such that the majority of society had to wait for centuries for the place of their God. The temple was built at the same place where it was decided to be built. For this also, the National Convention of BJP congratulates and expresses gratitude to PM Modi," he said.
The BJP is holding a two-day convention here as part of its preparations for Lok Sabha polls.
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