From drawing poll strategies, constituency reviews to addressing seat-sharing hiccups among alliance partners, Union Home Minister Amit Shah set in motion the stage for big battle ahead of the Lok Sabha elections during his day-long visit to Maharashtra on Tuesday. Shah embarked on a swirling tour, hopping Akola, Jalgaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Mumbai to motivate and mobilise the party cadre in the state. “The Lok Sabha poll is not about BJP. It is neither about Narendra Modi. The election is about making Bharat Viksit, Bharat Atmanirbhar by 2047,” Amit Shah said. He was addressing the BJP’s Yuva Sammelan at Jalgaon where he exhorted youths to exercise their franchise thoughtfully, keeping in mind their own future and national interest at large. He urged the youths to weigh the pros and cons thoroughly before exercising their franchise. “Here we have Modi whose illustrious feat in ten years has driven terrorism away, enhanced economic ranking of country from eleventh to third, launched Chandrayaan,” he said. “In Modi, we have a visionary who is determined to make India a world leader through development and self-reliance,” Shah said. The Lok Sabha polls is broadly between NDA and INDIA. NDA led by Modi is about securing the future of people, strengthening democracy and national interest. While INDIA is a conglomeration of parties whose leaders are caught in a wrangle with the limited aim to promote their individual son, daughter's political career. “Congress leader Sonia Gandhi wants to make Rahul Gandhi next PM. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray wants to make son Aaditya Thackeray next CM. NCP’s Sharad Pawar is keen to make his daughter Supriya Sule as next CM. M K Stalin of DMK wants his son as next CM. Trinamool Congress CM Mamata Banerjee is working to see nephew (Abhijit Banerjee) as her successor CM. How can INDIA whose leaders are serving vested interests safeguard democracy and national interest?” asked Shah. “Those who are so tied up with family’s vested interests cannot uphold democracy. Whereas, Modi’s leadership which is relentlessly striving for the well-being and future of 130 crore people of India will alone ensure that democracy thrives and gets stronger,” he said. Therefore, he said, “It is my ardent appeal to youths to carefully and consciously choose between dynasty and Modi in coming polls." “During UPA government, which was led by Sonia Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh, terrorism was at its peak. The Congress which ruled for 70 years did nothing about Article 370, nor about Ram temple at Ayodhya. The Modi government took bold steps that made the world leaders take note as was seen in G-20. In a short span, Modi government took the major decision to abrogate Article 370. In Parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned against the decision, saying there will be bloodbath in Kashmir. But nobody dared to pelt a stone. When militants across the border attacked India, Modi government conducted surgical strike in Pakistan. Today, nobody can dare challenge India. The security of the country is the highest concern which cannot be compromised at any cost,” Shah said. The Lok Sabha polls are significant as it will determine the future of Bharat and its people, he said. “By 2030, India will emerge third largest economy of world. By 2036, we will host Olympics. In 2040, India will carry out Mission Moon. Whereas, Congress has been repeatedly trying to launch Rahulyaan (Rahul Gandhi) without success. Till now, they have tried to launch him many times without achieving the stated objective,” he said. While urging youths to come forward and participate with greater zeal in polls, he said, “You will live to see Viksit Bharat in 2047." Therefore, BJP 370 and NDA 400 plus is necessary to achieve the goals. In Maharashtra, Maha Yuti (BJP along with its allies) has set 46 plus seats target out of total 48. Attacking the opposition, Shah said, “In Maharashtra, there is Maha Vikas Aghadi, which is like a three-wheeler auto rickshaw with all punctured wheels." “Can such alliance whose wheels are punctured go forward? Whereas, Maha Yuti under the strong leadership of CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is promising and working for public good,” he said. While outlining the feats of Modi regime, Shah said, “The government provides free ration to 80 crore people. Nearly 12 crore toilets were built. Nearly 12 crore subsidised cylinders were given to 12 crore women, thus freeing them from daily grind and health hazard of smoke. Under PM Awas Yojna, four crore houses were provided to poor. Access to water through taps became a reality benefitting 14 crores. Through Mudra loans, entrepreneurship developed. The government support saw 1.17 startups flourishing. Several initiatives in education sector saw setting up of new colleges and medical colleges. It will create one lakh doctors who will serve the people.”
