Modi steers G20 presidency into poll turf, switches from ‘New India’ to ‘New Bharat’
PM Narendra Modi in Madhya Pradesh
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, September 14: Less than a week after the conclusion of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken the multilateral event into the electoral turf of Madhya Pradesh. His drumming up the G20 Summit has come close on the heels of the Union Cabinet and the parliamentary board of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hailing him for the “success” of the multilateral event.
“When a country resolves to become independent and move forward, it marks the beginning of its makeover. The reflection of this was visible in the G20 Summit. The credit for the success of G20 Summit goes to you (people),” PTI quoted Modi saying in Bina, Madhya Pradesh.
With the BJP apparently facing a massive anti-incumbency factor against the Shivraj Singh Chauhan-led BJP government in MP, Modi is seeking to ride the claimed success of G20 to counter the challenge posed by the Congress. Incidentally, the Opposition block – INDIA – will be holding its first public meeting in Bhopal, MP.
Modi sought to counter the Opposition block, alleging that it is seeking to divide the country, while making a reference to its meeting in Mumbai. The prime minister once more referring to the G20 Summit claimed that “on one side, the ‘New Bharat is showing its capability to unite the world, but on the other side, there are some parties who are trying to create a divide in the country”.
Incidentally, Modi has also made a switch from ‘New India’ slogan to ‘New Bharat’ theme in his speeches. At the G20 Summit, the nameplate before him read “PM of Bharat’. President Droupadi Murmu’s invitation letters to heads of states and others, while addressing herself as ‘President of Bharat’ had set off intense speculation about an impending move of the government to drop ‘India’ from Article 1 of the Constitution.
Stepping up attack on the Opposition block over the purported remarks made by Udhyanidhi Stalin, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Sanatan Dharma, Modi accused the political rivals of sponsoring attacks on the faith of the country. He said that the Opposition leaders have “decided their hidden agenda and that is to attack India’s culture; They have decided to attack on the faith of Indians; They are intended to ruin the thoughts, values and traditions.”
While laying foundation of developmental projects, Modi’s rally in Madhya Pradesh is his first to kick start the election campaign in the state.
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