State poll results show popular support for our battle against corruption: Modi

On a day the BJP posted victories in three of four state assemblies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that his party’s hat-trick was a guarantee of its hat-trick in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He hailed the verdict as an endorsement of his agenda of a self-reliant India, transparency, and good governance.

“The results show popular support for our battle against corruption,” he told a crowd of cheering supporters at the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Sunday (December 3), adding that they have served a lesson to the Congress and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc that mere collecting some dynasts on the dais may make for a good photograph and headlines but cannot win people’s confidence.

Campaign against investigating agencies

Attacking rivals for their campaign against federal investigating agencies for allegedly targeting opposition leaders, he said voters have delivered a warning to these parties involved in corruption to either mend their ways or to be finished off by the people.

“I have an advice to the Congress and its allies that they should not practise politics that is against national interests, and works to divide and weakens the country,” he said, adding that negative forces working against India will now work hard to come together and look for opportunity and asked party workers to be wary of them.

No one should come in between the Centre’s development and people, or the masses will remove them, Modi said. “Some people are already saying our hat-trick in the states is a guarantee of hat-trick in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024,” he said.

More confidence into global investors

Addressing a big gathering of BJP members, including many Union ministers, Modi said these results will ensure the world’s belief in India and infuse more confidence into global investors for the country at a time of rapid development.

It shows that people are increasingly supporting our agenda for a developed India, he said. The world is watching that people are voting for a stable government which enjoys a strong majority, he said. “Modi’s guarantee begins from where expectations from others end,” he said.

People can distinguish between selfish politics and the politics of national interest, Modi said, asserting that they have realised that a strong BJP leads to the development of the country and every family.

“Today’s mandate has proved that people have zero tolerance for corruption, appeasement and parivaarvad (dynastic politics) Today, the country feels that only BJP is effective in ending these three evils. The move against corruption that the BJP government at the centre has started is getting massive public support. This is a clear warning to those parties and leaders who are not ashamed of standing by corrupts,” Modi said.

“People who shield the corrupt and try to cover up their misdeeds, who are round the clock engaged in defaming probe agencies that are targeting the corrupt, they should understand that poll results are an indication of public support to fight against corruption,” he said.

“Your dream is my resolve”

He reiterated that women, youth, the poor and farmers are the four biggest castes and their empowerment will lead to the country’s empowerment.

Noting that most members of Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Tribes belong to these categories, he said they have endorsed policies and roadmap presented by the BJP.

Every farmer, young voter, and the poor and deprived are saying that they have won, Modi said, adding that the youth looking for a better future and every citizen wanting a developed India by 2047 is feeling successful following the poll results. He especially cited women voters’ support to the party and said their shield ensure that no one can harm it.

“I want to tell you with full honesty that your dream is my resolve,” he said, noting how the country’s infrastructure is undergoing a transformation while its economy remains the fastest growing in the world.

With Modi being front and centre of the BJP’s campaign during the polls, the dais and slogans highlighted his appeal. “Sapne nahi haqeeqat bunte hain, tabhi to sab Modi ko chunte hain,” a huge poster on the dais read.

“Historic and unprecedented win”

The prime minister hailed the BJP’s win as “historic and unprecedented” and said, “It’s a victory of a call for making India a developed country, victory of resolve of self-reliant India...Today it is victory of honesty, transparency and good governance, the feeling of sabka saath sabka vishwas.”

Modi said “negative and divisive forces” will try to quickly regroup now and look for new opportunities to push their agenda, and asked the BJP workers to remain vigilant of such efforts.

“We have to fight with them, give reply to their fake narratives but above all, we have to maintain the trust of the people,” he said in his address.

The PM said the Congress and the BRS have been ousted from power in the elections as people, particularly youth, want progress.

“Wherever the government has worked against youth, such a government has been ousted from power, be it Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Telangana,” he said.

“The BJP’s graph is continuously rising in Telangana. I want to assure the people of Telangana that the BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving you,” he said.

Modi said the Assembly poll results have brought a “positive energy” in the country and asked the party workers to ensure that it remains there.

“We have to maintain the confidence of 140 crore Indians. Instil confidence in those who have doubts,” he said.

(With agency inputs)