The Bharatiya Janata Party is yet to achieve its peak despite being in power at the national level and in 13 states, its president Amit Shah said yesterday.
“Many (people) declared after the 2104 general elections that the BJP has reached its peak, but it was not so. They then said in 2017 (after elections to the five states, including Uttar Pradesh) that the BJP has now attained it peak, but it is not the case,” federal Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted Shah as saying at the inaugural session of the party’s two-day National Executive meeting here.
“But the BJP is yet to be at its peak. The BJP will attain its peak when BJP will have chief ministers in all states and it has members everywhere – from panchayats to parliament,” Shah added, according to Prasad.
“Let’s resolve to make BJP a pan-India party from panchayats to parliament. BJP’s golden period should be associated with country’s golden period,” Shah said.
The party chief said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will complete three years in office on May 26 and it had worked hard during this period.
“... we have done work which other governments would do in two-three terms,” he said.
The BJP chief also said earlier there was a perception that the BJP was doing well only against the Congress and not against regional parties, but the recent election results of Uttar Pradesh have proved this perception wrong. The BJP can also perform in states ruled by regional parties, he noted.
He urged party workers “not to be lethargic” after the stunning victories in the recently-concluded assembly polls.
Prasad also told reporters that the BJP chief would tour for 95 days different parts of the country till September.
“Shah will extensively tour the country till September. During this tour Shah will spend three days in Kerala also,” he said.
The first day of the two-day meeting was attended by Modi and 13 chief ministers including Yogi Adityanath of Uttar, who was given a grand welcome at the event.
Earlier, Modi held a roadshow in Odisha’s capital.
Huge crowds gathered on both sides of the road to catch a glimpse of Modi. Several cultural troupes also performed to welcome Modi, who waved to the people as his cavalcade passed through the roads.
After arriving at the airport, Modi paid floral tributes to Odisha’s legendary personalities to strike an emotional chord with the Odias.