NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took a seat in the last row during the two-day BJP MPs workshop, demonstrating his humility as an ordinary BJP MP.
The workshop started on Sunday at the Balyogi Auditorium in the Parliament complex to provide basic training to MPs in voting procedures for the Vice Presidential election, scheduled to take place on September 9.
BJP MPs from both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, in support of a resolution moved by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, felicitated Prime Minister Modi for the NextGenGST reforms during the workshop.
As a BJP MP from Varanasi, PM Modi arrived at the workshop at 10:45 am and remained there until the evening at the GMC Balyogi Auditorium in the Parliament complex.
According to BJP sources, he also put forward several suggestions to the BJP MPs and adhered strictly to the norms of the workshop.
The BJP MPs workshop will conclude on Monday with a formal mock poll to train MPs on the vote-casting process.
PM Modi’s decision to sit in the last row took many MPs by surprise. His gesture was seen as a lesson of humility and dedication -- putting role of a party worker above his position as Prime Minister.
The BJP-led NDA has intensified preparations for the Vice Presidential elections, offering a comprehensive presentation on voting procedures for MPs. Many MPs, especially younger members, shared their suggestions and opinions on the first day of the workshop.
It focused on the national objective of making India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 and the creative, effective, and constructive use of social media by MPs to highlight the government’s contributions to nation-building.
In a post on X after attending the workshop, PM Modi said “Attended the ‘Sansad Karyashala’ in Delhi. MY colleagues from all over India and other senior leaders exchanged valuable perspectives on diverse issues”.
PM Modi also said in another post,“ In our party, platforms like ‘Sansad Karyashala’ are important because they are great forums to learn from each other and deliberate on how we can serve people even better”.
There were in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including agriculture, defence, energy, education, railways, and other sectors, which have seen significant progress and are widely recognised by the public.
A senior source mentioned that the workshop also included plans to discuss the upcoming Parliament session and other related matters on its first day.
The second and final day of the workshop is expected to feature a detailed presentation on the technical and legal aspects of voting procedures. It will include a training session for NDA MPs in preparation for the Vice Presidential election on September 9.
As this year’s election is seen as a 'South versus South' contest—between NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and opposition candidate B Sudarshan Reddy from Telangana —the BJP and its allies have made elaborate preparations to secure a decisive victory for their candidate.
A senior source stated that the workshop’s agenda also included discussions on GST reforms and various government schemes introduced over the past 11 years.
According to some senior BJP members, the Prime Minister attentively listened to MPs and engaged with the presentation, sitting modestly in the last row like any other MP.
The workshop venue was decorated with posters highlighting the government’s positions on various issues, including GST and Operation Sindoor.
One life-size poster featured Prime Minister Modi dressed in a fighter pilot uniform in reference to Operation Sindoor, symbolising the government's resolve taken to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.
On Tuesday, during the Vice Presidential election, a total of 782 MPs from all parties—including 240 from the Rajya Sabha—will cast their votes using ballot papers.
To win, a candidate must secure more than half the total votes—around 392. In this number game, the NDA candidate has an advantage, with the BJP-led alliance commanding 423 MPs (293 from the Lok Sabha and 130 from the Rajya Sabha).
