Came with hope in 2014, trust in 2019, guarantee in 2024: PM Modi in Assam poll rally
NALBARI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that he went to people with hope in 2014, trust in 2019 and guarantee in 2024.
Addressing an election rally at the Borkura ground here, he said that the birth celebrations of Lord Ram were being held in the temple at Ayodhya after 500 years with a 'Surya Tilak' ceremony.
Earlier in the day, Modi greeted people on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday and said Ayodhya is in incomparable bliss as this is the first time the festival would be celebrated there after the consecration of the Ram temple. "We cannot join the celebrations at Ayodhya but let us participate in the event by switching on our mobile flashlights and offering our prayers to Lord Ram," the PM said at the rally.
Modi said that free ration will be provided to all without discrimination for the next five years and free treatment of up to Rs five lakh under the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme will be given to people aged 70 and above.
"In the next 5 years, 3 crore more new houses will be built for the poor, and everyone will get them without any discrimination," the PM said.
Hitting out at the opposition, the Prime Minister claimed that the BJP, in 10 years, did what Congress could not in 60 years.
"Today Modi's guarantee is going on in the entire country and the North East itself is a witness to Modi's guarantee. The North-East, which was given only problems by Congress, has been transformed by the BJP into a source of possibilities. Congress fueled separatism and Modi made efforts for peace and security. What Congress could not do in 60 years, Modi did in 10 years," he said.
"BJP is the party that follows the mantra of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas. There is no discrimination in the schemes of the NDA government, everyone benefits from them. Now the NDA has decided to reach out to every citizen of the country and provide them with the facilities they are eligible for," PM Modi added.
Modi was here to campaign for NDA candidates from three constituencies: Asom Gana Parishad's Phani Bhushan Choudhury for Barpeta, the United People's Party, Liberal nominee Jayanta Basumatary for Kokrajhar and the BJP's Bijuli Kalita Medhi for Guwahati, who were all present at the rally.
At the rally, the Prime Minister also tried his hands on a traditional instrument, 'Nagada'.
Nalbari falls under the Darrang-Udalguri Lok Sabha constituency, one of the newly created seats by delimitation out of the erstwhile Mangaldai seat. The BJP's sitting MP, Dilip Saikia, is pitted against Madhab Rajbanshi of the Indian National Congress.
The Lok Sabha polls for 14 seats in Assam will be held in three phases starting on April 19.
In this Lok Sabha election in Assam, the BJP is contesting in 11 out of 14 seats, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively.
Both the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) claimed three seats each.
During the 2019 elections, the BJP increased its seat count to 9, while the Congress maintained its three seats, and the AIUDF won a single seat.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)