Opposition parties on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “arrogance will be broken” after he asserted that the National Democratic Alliance would bag over 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Responding to the Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu for her address to both Houses of Parliament, Modi said that he could “gauge the mood of the nation”.
The prime minister asserted: “The Bharatiya Janata Party will get over 370 seats. The figure will go over 400 for the National Democratic Alliance.”
He also said that the Opposition has “lost the courage to contest elections” and has resolved to stay on the Opposition benches for a long time.
“My first term was all about filling the gaping holes left by the UPA [United Progressive Alliance] government, the second was about fulfilling avowed goals, like the abolition of Article 370 that the country had been waiting for, the third term will be one of big decisions, which will lay the foundation of India’s prosperity and security for the next 1,000 years,” said Modi.
Responding to his statements, Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, who was suspended by the Bahujan Samaj Party in December, raised questions about the reliability of electronic voting machines after Modi’s statements.
“Maybe he has so much confidence because of EVMs,” said Ali. “As a PM, he should not have given such a speech. He should maintain the dignity of his position. The people of the country will not tolerate such arrogance. Their arrogance will be broken.”
Congress leader Manickam Tagore asked whether the prime minister would not take oath if the BJP fails to win 370 seats.
“He can make these kinds of election speeches in Parliament but people of India have decided that they have the right,” Tagore told ANI. “This kind of dream of BJP has always failed, it is going to be ‘India Shining’ part two now.”
Tagore was referring to the slogan “India Shining”, which was used as the central theme in BJP’s campaign for the 2004 general elections. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had lost the polls as it was able to garner only 181 out of 545 Lok Sabha seats.
Communist Party of India leader Binoy Viswam said that Modi’s “high-sounding rhetoric” showed that he is not confident of a victory in 2024.
“He is very sure that people will make a judgment on him because his government was a government of inaction and treachery, a government which forgot its promises, a government that only did harm to the country and its secular credentials,” Viswam told PTI.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!