Electoral stakes: PM Modi keeps focus on UP polls at BJP meet

Modi reportedly asked the MPs how many of them have information about the number of villages electrified so far. With no one responding, he shot another question: how many of them had downloaded the mobile app GARV, which provides real-time updated data of ongoing electrification process.

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With no hands going up, a visibly disappointed PM apparently told them about the importance of keeping track of implementation of the scheme and the need to publicise government’s initiatives for the poor, a source in the party said.

The BJP has 71 Lok Sabha MPs from Uttar Pradesh.

BJP chief Amit Shah was present at the meeting and asked the MPs to intensively campaign on the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the scheme to provide free LPG connection to women from BPL households, for which Rs 2,000 crore has been set aside in this year’s Budget.

At the Parliamentary party meeting Tuesday morning, Parliamentary Affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu issued a warning: if the MPs do not have 100-per cent attendance in Standing Committee and other Parliamentary panel meeting, they will not get their choice of the committee next time.

According to Naidu, attending standing committee meeting will make MPs push the party’s stance on policies and legislation, as also give them a chance to put their views without restrictions.

Later, BJP made some changes in its members in the parliamentary committees.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a farewell function for the retired and retiring Members of Rajya Sabha (2016) at Parliament Library Building in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Source: PTI)

Sources said that Kirti Azad, Vinod Khanna, Om Birla and Ganesh Singh have been dropped from the estimate committee, and S S Ahluwalia and Dushyant Singh from the Pubic Accounts Committee. Those who have been dropped from the Committee on Public Undertaking include Varun Gandhi and Pankaj Chowdhary, sources said.

Meanwhile, the BJP MPs were also told to aggressively campaign and let the public know the government’s and the party’s stance on recent controversies such as the JNU row and Rohith Vemula’s suicide. According to sources, Naidu said the Congress has scored several “self-goals” on these issues and BJP MPs have to “effectively communicate” to the people how the party stood for national interest.

According to a source, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the assembled MPs: “Return to your constituencies with a sense of victory. The party has to focus on spreading our achievements. We have had a people-friendly Union and Railway Budget.”