Win 2019 and remain in power for next 50 years: Shah
New Delhi, Sep 9: With slogans of "Ajeya Bharat" and "Atal Bhajapa" the two-day BJP National Executive concluded here on Sunday not only pledging to return to power in 2019 but also to remain there for the next 50 years on the basis of performance and its organisational strength.
On the last day of the meet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the call of "Ajeya Bharat" and "Atal Bhajapa" while BJP President Amit Shah claimed that if the BJP succeeds in 2019, there would be no one to remove it from power for the next 50 years.
The executive meet also formed a strategy to reach out to every household involving its workers from booth level to national level and called upon party activists to work tirelessly to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hands to turn the country into new India.
"The Prime Minister gave a clarion call of Ajeya Bharat (A country which remains victorious and cannot to be subjugated by anyone) and Atal Bhajapa (A BJP which remains firm to its principles)," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi made his remarks to charge up party workers before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in his concluding speech.
The PM said that the BJP does not see power as an instrument to occupy high position but as an instrument to go among the masses and work for them with dedication.
"We work with dedication for our principles. The principles remain firm but the strategy keeps changing from time to time," the Prime Minister said, according to Prasad.
He said that the Prime Minister also highlighted that how his government has worked for the development of all the segments of the society without discriminating on the basis of the caste, region or religion.
"The focus of this government is on 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'. About five crore got benefits under the Ujjawala scheme and the gas connections were given to the people without discriminating anyone," Modi said.
"About 18,000 villages were electrified in the last four-and-half-years. Around 5,000 of them were from northeast region. They do not vote us but despite that we worked for them," he said.
Addressing the party workers, BJP President Amit Shah said the hard work of the Prime Minister and his dedication for the country has made him unbeatable till date.
"Modiji has not taken rest after the 2014 election. He has covered almost 300 Lok Sabha constituencies after becoming Prime Minister and he will cover the rest of the parliamentary constituencies before the 2019 elections," he said.
"Our Prime Minister works tirelessly for the country. I am sure we will win in 2019 and will remain in power for next 50 years," Prasad quoted Shah as saying.
"The Congress came to power in 1947 and remained undefeated till 1967," he said adding that he was not saying in arrogance but on the basis of government's performance.
"The people of the country are getting more oriented on performance and works of the government," he said.
"Modiji has not lost a single election since 2001 because of the kind of the work he has done in the state," he said.
To win the 2019 elections, Shah asked nine crore dedicated party workers to visit about 22 crore families to highlight the work of the government in the last four-and-half-years.
"By contacting them we can reach out to every household before 2019," Shah said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
