LS polls: PM Modi interacts with BJP workers in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Mar 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with BJP workers through the NaMo app and discussed fieldwork at the booth level for the Lok Sabha polls with them, encouraging them to devise a strategy for the party to win the elections.

Discussing ways to win the election at the 'Enathu Booth Valimaiyana Booth' (My booth is the strongest) programme, he encouraged the party workers to strive towards ensuring victory for the BJP and NDA candidates.

"I understand you are facing a paucity of time owing to the general election scheduled for April 19 in Tamil Nadu. You hardly have 15-16 days left (since election campaigning ends 48 hours before polling day). Organise yourselves well, connect with the voters, highlight our achievements and hold tiffin or lunch meetings amongst you to discuss the next step," the prime minister said.

Referring to the government's focus on women-led development, Modi sought to know from a party worker the schemes that have been the most liked and talked about by women. The PM expressed happiness that the party worker has been working at the grassroots level.

A woman participant from Tiruvarur spoke specifically about schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and Jal Jeevan Mission. She said these schemes have helped her and other farm workers like her to carry on their work with ease.

Sharing his experience of his initial years in the party, Modi urged the booth-level workers to organise themselves into small groups of three members, each having at least one woman in it, and to meet 10 families daily.

"Sit with those families, discuss with them and even extend what help you possibly can. And in the night, discuss among yourselves the people's requirements and plan your strategy accordingly," he said, adding that this would ensure the party an easy victory.

Modi also told them to hold a meeting once in three or four days with women, first-time voters, fishermen, farmers and even beneficiaries of central schemes to explain the achievements of the BJP government to them.

Further, they were told to take advantage of the anti-incumbency sentiment against the DMK government. "Governance in Tamil Nadu has been in bad shape since the DMK government and its allies came to power in Tamil Nadu," he said, alleging that the ruling party was responsible for corruption, law and order problems and the drug trade.

"All such issues need to be communicated to every family in the booth," Modi said.

Drugs destroyed the lives of our children, he said. "A huge cache of drugs was seized recently and its godfathers are linked to Tamil Nadu, which is worrisome. Therefore, you should make people aware of the menace of drugs, and fight against it," he emphasised.

He said that political analysts believe the BJP would turn the tables in Tamil Nadu and that the "anger against the ruling party" in the state will be vented out during the election. "These dynastic political parties mean 'of the family, by the family and for the family'. This very expression sums up the dynastic parties," he said.

Party workers should take up a door-to-door campaigns to familiarise voters with the election symbols of the BJP and its allies, Modi said. Apart from having a designated social media coordinator for every polling booth to leverage technology to the BJP's advantage, all party workers should install the NaMo app on their mobile phones, he insisted.

Reminding them that nine political parties are a part of the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu, he said these 'navaratnas' (nine gems) have huge strength and he expects all the NDA constituents to work together in every booth. PTI