New Delhi: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that there is ‘no competition to the Bharatiya Janta Party in the upcoming general elections in the country.
In an interview with the news agency ANI, Shah said that the Centre’s initiatives have marked positive change in the lives of people at the grassroots levels. He said that the citizens of the country are wholeheartedly moving with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BJP’s 8-Year Rule At Centre
Amit Shah elaborated on work done by his party at the Centre and expressed confidence in winning upcoming state assembly polls.
- Country’s economy
Shah said India has made progress across all sectors and referred to the country being the fastest-growing major economy. As per the ANI, he said that the progress of the country, making the country secure and making the economy the fastest growing economy in the world has been among the priorities of the Narendra Modi-led government. He added that there is recognition of India's achievements in the world.
- Strengthening Country’s Defence
The minister said that steps have been taken by the government to boost internal security and reduce import dependence in defence sector. He further said successful attempts have been made to make India a manufacturing hub.
Focusing on self-reliant India, Shah said efforts have been put towards self-reliance in the defence sector. He told ANI that reducing India's dependency on other countries by 30 percent in eight years is a big achievement.
- Govt’s Achievements
Speaking on the achievements of his government, Shah told ANI, "During the small period of eight years, we have tried to raise the standard of living of 60 crore poor people in the country and we were also successful. There have been so many achievements. There are major changes in Railways, there is new policy in the space sector and we are preparing to be a leader in the sector, with new policy we are moving ahead in the drone sector."
He said that Left-wing extremism is towards its end in the country.
"The Left-wing extremism is towards its end. There is control and domination of our agencies on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Northeast, we have found solutions (to problems) and over 8,000 members of militant organisations have joined the mainstream," he added.
Shah On Congress & Rahul Gandhi
When asked about the principal opposition in 2024, Shah said it is to be "decided by the people of the country".
"Till now people have not given the label of principal opposition to any one party in Lok Sabha," he added.
On the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the possibility of Rahul Gandhi emerging as the Prime Minister candidate, Amit Shah said that there is election in three states and it is to be seen what is the impact (of Bharat Jodo Yatra).
State Assembly Polls
The Union Minister of Cooperation said that the central government's schemes have effectively reached the grassroots.
He said, "In Tripura, I went for a meal to a house that belonged to a poor family. They showed me the toilet, gas cylinder, electricity and tap water and Ayushman Bharat card...all this reached the poor family household."
He added that the woman of the house referred to a sack of rice and said they will be able to sell it as they are getting ration through the central government. "The house was plastered and there was a sense of pride," he said.
"So there is this change. I feel that in 2024 there is no competition and everyone in the country is moving ahead with PM Modi," Shah said.
According to ANI, he said Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland were in the strong Congress states. "We will see on the day of counting, before 12 PM, a full majority for the BJP," he added.
He believed that the BJP will perform well in the states where polls are scheduled to take place in the coming months including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Polls to elect the members of the 18th Lok Sabha are scheduled to take place next year around April-May. While elections in several states this year will be setting the tone for the political battleground in 2024, the real fight will be evident when citizens will vote for their choice of government at the Centre.