Wipe out Oppn in Maharashtra local body polls: Shah to BJP workers

Mumbai, Oct 27 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday asked BJP workers to ensure that the Opposition is wiped out during the ensuing local body polls in a manner that they are "not seen even with the help of binoculars." Speaking to party workers after laying the foundation stone of Maharashtra BJP's new office building near Churchgate railway station in south Mumbai, Shah asserted, "we have proved that the politics of family-run parties will no longer work in this country. It is the politics of performance that will lead the nation forward." Shah cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a model for the party, saying "Modi ji is the best example of this. A child born in a humble tea seller's home rose, through his dedication, sacrifice, and hard work, to become the prime minister of India." Shah said the BJP under PM Modi has implemented all its ideological commitments like abrogation of Article 370, construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, CAA, triple talaq and some states have implemented the uniform civil code.

"All our ideological stands have been cleared and now we are focusing on Viksit Bharat in 2047," he said.

The BJP has the responsibility of conducting principled politics for the future of the country, Shah said.

Referring to the 'double engine' government of the BJP at the Centre and in the state, Shah said the party must also secure victories in the local body polls scheduled later this year, instructing workers to work so hard that the Opposition is wiped out. “They shouldn't be seen even with the help of binoculars,” he added.

The BJP doesn't run on crutches in Maharashtra but on its own strength, Shah said.

Responding to a reporter's question later on Shah's remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that friends are not crutches.

"Those who question this remark do not understand the meaning of `crutches'. Friends are not crutches," said Fadnavis who leads a three-party alliance government with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

“I believe that a party which cannot uphold democracy within its own functioning can never protect the democracy of the nation. This is a strong message to all dynastic parties,” Shah said.

Shah said for the BJP, a party office is like a temple. "It is from here that party programmes and policies are conceived and is a practical training ground for party workers," he said.

Shah said since the Jan Sangh days, ideology-driven politics and people's welfare has been the hallmark of BJP.

“Since 1980 when BJP was formed, the country has been led by BJP leaders for 18 years and it has been a matter of pride," he said.

Shah attributed the party success to the hard work, sacrifice and commitment of leaders and workers. "It is because of the seeds sowed by them that the BJP has become a vatvriksha (banyan tree)," he said.

The BJP runs on democratic principles and hard-working and performance-oriented workers can rise in the party hierarchy, he said.

"I was a booth president and rose to become national president while, PM Modi, hailing from a poor family, led the country three times because of his commitment and sacrifice," he said.

Shah expressed happiness over the new state BJP office spread across 55,000 sq ft area with a library, meeting room, conference room, a 400-seat auditorium, and offices of the state BJP president and the chief minister. “The CM will remember that he reached the post because of the party,” he said.

There will be multi-level basement for parking, Shah said. “I have told Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that there should be three to four rooms for accommodation of party workers like myself,” he added.

Referring to the undivided Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav Thackeray, Shah said that in 2014, the BJP asked for a “respectable” seat sharing, but the alliance broke.

"We fought the elections on our own after a long time and we emerged as the single largest party with Devendra Fadnavis as the CM. Earlier we were in the fourth position in the state politics but today we are the number one party," he said.

The Pahalgam terror attack was avenged with Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, proving to the enemies that no one can fiddle with army and borders, he said. PTI MR SKL KRK VT VT