Spread like fire from Kashmir to Kanyakumari: Shah's message to 'BJP cyber warriors'

He asked volunteers to spread like fire from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari to ensure the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year.

BJP Amit Shah . (PTI Photo/ File)

VARANASI: Terming the party's social media volunteers "cyber warriors", BJP chief Amit Shah on Wednesday asked them to spread like fire from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari to ensure the party's victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Shah, who was the chief guest at the BJP's 'Social media volunteers meet of Eastern UP' held in Varanasi, said the volunteers need to use their creative minds to defeat opponents and give a befitting reply to those spreading lies against the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP president was on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh to feel the pulse of the people ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He asked volunteers to spread like fire from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari to ensure the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year. He said that there was no leader like Modi in the country whose reach was pan-India. "Does (Andhra Pradesh CM) Chandrababu (Naidu) or (former PM) Deve Gowda have a reach like Modiji? Can people hear their speeches in Uttar Pradesh," he asked. "People reach in large number to hear Modiji whether it be Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir or anywhere across the country. He is loved and accepted by people," he said. He also praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying law and order had improved in the state and criminals had gone into hiding in neighbouring Delhi, where the situation had deteriorated. Shah said under Modi's leadership, India was globally respected and he also praised the Centre for carrying out surgical strikes against Pakistan, saying after America and Israel, India was the only country to take revenge through such a step. The BJP leader also said, "Some were pointing fingers at us but in the last four years not a single instance of corruption could be proved against us...The Uttar Pradesh government had delivered a transparent and corruption free governance." He said during the last elections the party had expected a winning figure of 65 seats but the people gave a mandate of 73 seats. "Now, in the next year's elections volunteers must ensure that we add one more seat and win 74 seats," Shah said. Earlier in Mirzapur, he hailed the Centre's decision to increase the minimum support price of kharif crop as "historical", stating that the move would benefit the farming community in a major way. He stressed that the Modi government was coming up with various farmer-friendly policy decisions ever since it came to power. A case in point, he said, black marketing of urea was checked by introducing neem-coated urea. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) at its meeting today approved the MSP of 14 Kharif (summer-sown crops for the 2018-19 season. The decision, taken by the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes less than a year before next general election. Shah also held closed-door meetings with party leaders to discuss the poll strategy in Mirzapur. Party leaders from Kashi, Avadh and Gorakhpur regions attended the meeting and shared their feedback with Shah. These three regions constitute 30 Lok Sabha seats and are crucial for the party's scheme of things to ensure a repeat of its 2014 performance. The BJP-led NDA won 73 out of 80 seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was also attended by Adityanath, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, BJP's national general secretary Bhupendra Nath and state unit president Mahendra Nath Pandey. On Thursday, he will leave for Agra. There the BJP president will meet party leaders from Kanpur, Bundelkhand, Braj and western Uttar Pradesh.