Focus on development agenda: Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked BJP members to build the party's Lok Sabha poll campaign around the government's development and pro-poor welfare initiatives besides the measures to enhance the country's global standing, asserting that winning 370 seats will be a true tribute to its key ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Addressing a meeting of the BJP's national office-bearers before the start of its convention, he said every party worker should focus on polling booths in the next 100 days, the period by which the upcoming Lok Sabha polls are likely to be over, and ensure at least 370 more votes for the party at every polling station than in 2019.

Briefing reporters on Modi's speech, BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde said the prime minister told the meeting that the opposition will engage in "tu tu-main main" (petty squabbling), unwarranted and divisive issues but they must not be distracted and remain focussed on its development agenda. Modi said, "370 is not merely a number for the BJP. It symbolises a profound sentiment. Mookerjee made the ultimate sacrifice for the abrogation of Article 370 to preserve our nation's unity and integrity. As a true tribute to him, the BJP should secure victory in 370 seats."

The Modi government had scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019 soon after returning to power for a second time.

The Lok Sabha has 543 seats, and the BJP had won 282 and 303 of them in 2014 and 2019 respectively. Modi has set a target for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance to win over 400 seats. In a post on X later, Modi said, “Addressed the @BJP4India National Office Bearers. Complimented every Party Karyakarta for their exceptional efforts to serve people. Discussed ways to deepen our Party’s grassroots level connect across all sections of society. Over the last decade, BJP has made a mark as a party of development and good governance. Our schemes, initiatives and reforms have transformed several lives.” Tawde said Modi has been the head of a government, including more than 12 years as Gujarat chief minister, for nearly 23 years and there has been no allegation of corruption. “It’s been an ‘aarop mukt’ and a ‘vikas yukt’ period,” he said quoting the prime minister, adding that there has been no instance of such a long tenure of anyone holding constitutional positions not drawing any taint.

With the BJP likely to name its candidates for the polls, expected in April-May, in the coming weeks, Modi asked party members to keep in mind that ‘lotus’ (its poll symbol) will be its candidate at every seat it will contest and work to ensure its win. Tawde said the party will launch a campaign to reach out to beneficiaries of various central government schemes from Feb 25 and March 5.