With the final phases of elections closing in, the hype around BJP’s ‘ab ki baar, 400 paar’ slogan is under intense scrutiny. From PM Modi to booth-level workers — members of the Bharatiya Janata Party across the country are pushing the idea of a 400-seat victory. To sell the idea of 400 seats, the BJP has made a host of promises, like bringing in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to building a temple in Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi and “replacing the Gyanvapi Masjid”. However, what happens if the BJP fails to rake in 400 votes? Does it have a Plan B?
Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah in an interview with news agency ANI sought to answer this question, saying: “Plan B needs to be made only when there is less than a 60% chance for Plan A (to succeed). I am certain that PM Modi will come to power with a thumping majority,” he said.
He slammed foreign media’s claims of the “BJP throttling democracy by wanting 400-plus seats”, saying, “…Should the voters of the country vote as per the intent of the foreign media? There is no interference. Anyone can say anything they want but the voters of India are mature enough. Let the counting happen, they [foreign media] will go on a holiday after that…”
He dismissed the Opposition’s allegations of the BJP wanting to change the Constitution. Shah said the BJP has had the majority to change the Constitution for 10 years. “We have never tried this… My party does not have a history of misuse of majority. Misuse of majority was done during Gandhi’s time,” Shah said.
When asked “What if BJP doesn’t cross 272 on June 4?”, Amit Shah said, “I don’t see any such possibilities. An army of 60 crore-strong beneficiaries are standing with PM Modi, they have no caste or age group…Those who have received all these benefits know Narendra Modi and why he needs 400 seats.”
He said that Odisha will see a change in government and the BJP will come to power. Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attacks “Statements, by any leader, are made in view of the recent situation. PM made the statement by seeing the current situation and even I believe that there is going to be a change in the government there – BJP will form the state government there. ”
Shah further emphasised that the biggest win for the BJP government’s move was a large turnout in Jammu & Kashmir. “To those who raised questions on Article 370, I would like to say that voter turnout has crossed 40%. There can be no bigger success for [abrogation of] Article 370. All extremist group leaders are going and voting. They became participants in a democratic process. Earlier, slogans to boycott elections were raised. But today, elections are being held peacefully.”
On Lok Sabha elections in J&K and NC and PDP candidates, Union Home Minister says, “I think there will be a change. The character of the entire INDI Alliance is similar to each other in a way. That is why, they have all come All parties are immersed in corruption. Alliance has a common culture…”
