Modi at NDA CMs meet: Our alliance committed to furthering national progress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (October 17) said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is committed to furthering national progress and empowering the poor and downtrodden, as he chaired a meeting of the ruling bloc's chief ministers.

The NDA Chief Ministers' Council Meeting – attended by 17 CMs and 18 Deputy CMs – was held at a five-star hotel in Chandigarh following the swearing-in ceremony of Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini and his council at Panchkula.

"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," Modi posted on X.

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This was the first conclave of NDA CMs of this kind in the past many years.

Union ministers in attendance

Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and J P Nadda, who is also the BJP president, were part of the deliberations as the NDA looks to build on its win in the Haryana polls to go into the elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand with full strength.

"The NDA pledged to intensify its momentum in building a Viksit Bharat envisioned by Modi Ji and further strengthen service to the poor, farmers, women, and youth," Shah posted on X.

Also read: New Haryana govt a blend of good governance and experience: PM

Rajnath Singh said, "Under the leadership of Modiji, the NDA is working with the resolve to make India a developed and self-reliant country. In today's meeting, ideas were exchanged to strengthen this resolve further".

Briefing reporters here about the meeting, Nadda said the PM stressed on good governance. "Endeavour should be made to pay attention to pro-people, proactive good governance (P2-G2)," the PM said, according to Nadda.

Six resolutions

Nadda, who is also the Union health minister, said the meeting discussed six resolutions and passed them unanimously.

He said a proposal was put forth by Home Minister Amit Shah on the 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency.

"Democracy was murdered in 1975 with the Emergency. In 2025, we will discuss the murder of democracy. We will also expose those who murdered the Constitution and we will tell people how they tried to crush the Constitution and strangulate its mool dharna (basic spirit)," he said.

Rajnath Singh proposed a resolution to celebrate 'Amrit Mahotsav' of the Constitution in 2025.

According to Nadda, the PM also said that it was a matter of happiness for all that the oath-taking ceremony in Jammu and Kashmir happened under the Constitution of India for the first time when the new government took charge on Wednesday.

Earlier, a J-K CM would be administered oath under the state constitution.

For the first time in Independent India, oath-taking programme was held under India's Constitution in J-K too under Modi's leadership, said Nadda.

This shows the power of the Constitution and meaning of abrogation of Article 370, the PM said, when the resolution on the 'Amrit Mahotsav' of the Constitution came up for discussion.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the first elected government in the union territory since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370.

Nadda said Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde presented the first resolution at the meet.

Nadda attacks INDIA alliance

"The way INDI Alliance tried to spread lies during Haryana polls that has been given a befitting reply. The BJP got support and blessings from farmers, youth, sportspersons and common people. PM Modi was congratulated for this and the people of Haryana were thanked for giving blessings," said Nadda.

He further said the 100th birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be celebrated next year, as well as the 150th birth anniversaries of tribal icon Birsa Munda and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

TB-free India

Nadda said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu talked about 'Atam Nirbhar Bharat', Digital India and USD 5-trillion economy.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami talked about Digital India, and Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis about contributing to making India a USD 5-trillion economy.

"In this five-hour long meeting, all the CMs held threadbare discussion on every issues. We took up social and health issues," Nadda said.

The PM stressed on making India 'TB mukt (TB-free)' with a 'jan andolan', he said.

"We stressed that 'ek ped, maa ke naam' campaign should be promoted as 'jan andolan'," he said.

All the CMs and deputy CMs described this meeting as fruitful and resolved to "achieve these targets with new zeal and enthusiasm", Nadda said.

"Together, we are dedicated to realizing our collective vision of a 'Viksit Bharat,' where every citizen thrives and contributes to building a prosperous and inclusive nation," he later posted on X.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Goa CM Pramod Sawant, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, Assam's Himanta Biswa Sarma also attended the meeting.

Nagaland's Neiphiu Rio, Arunachal Pradesh's Pema Khandu and Chhattisgarh's Vishnu Deo Sai were also among the attendees.

Others who attended the meeting included Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, Manipur CM N Biren Singh, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang and Tripura CM Manik Saha.

Bihar Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar were also present.

(With agency inputs)