Narendra Modi exclusive India News NewsX interview: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday targeted Opposition particularly Congress for the comment that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot fight elections on the issue of General Service Tax (GST) and lack of employment opportunities for the youth. Responding to a question, PM Modi said that the BJP fought 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls after implementation of GST across the country but the Opposition had to face a crushing defeat. In the Gujarat polls, the BJP managed to win 99 seats out of 182 while Congress won in 77 constituencies.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi had challenged the prime minister to contest ongoing Lok Sabha elections on GST, demonetisation and other promises which he made during 2014 general elections but allegedly failed to deliver. Priyanka had dared PM Modi while addressing a rally in New Delhi Lok Sabha constitiencty which went to polls on May 12.
In an exclusive interview to NewsX/India News, PM Modi asserted that the Opposition cannot dare to fight the saffron party on the GST as voters have given their verdict and a tight slap on them in the Assembly elections. BJP’s prime ministerial candidate said that the ruling party fought 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections after demonetisation was announced and registered a massive victory.
It is pertinent to mention that the BJP won a landslide victory in UP 2017 polls after winning 312 seats out of 403. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party which have now joined hands to keep BJP at bay had won 47 and 19 seats respectively. Congress fared worst in the polls as the grand old party only got seven seats. The BJP had made monk Yogi Adityanath as the Chief Minister of country largest populous state.
In an interview, PM Modi said that the saffron party has always fought on development as the party has done tremendous developmental work across the country.
Meanwhile, PM is seeking re-election from UP’s Varanasi seat which he won, defeating Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress candidate Ajay Rai in 2014 general elections. The SP and BSP had named separate candidates from the seat as they were not together unlike today.
The high-profile seat would go to polls on May 19 in the last phase of seven-phased elections. Congress has pitted 2014 candidate against PM Modi while gathbandhan has named Shalini Yadav.
