NDA an organic alliance committed to ‘nation first’, says Modi

NEW DELHI : Chosen by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as its leader to become prime minister for the third time, Narendra Modi on Friday said he would strive to ensure unanimity in running the next government and asserted that the NDA is not a combine of some parties to get power but an “organic alliance” committed to the principle of “nation first”.

Modi said the ruling combine is committed to the constitutional principle of “sarva panth sambhava (interfaith harmony)” and mutual trust was at the core of this bloc.

“The NDA is not a congregation of parties only to get power. It is a commitment that is truly and fully committed to the principle of ‘nation first’, and we have proved it. We will continue proving it true to its essence,” he said, addressing the NDA’s newly elected MPs and party leaders.

Promising the allies to discharge his duty as PM again as his life’s mission, Modi said, “This (NDA) is the most successful alliance in the history of our country. It has completed three successful terms in the past and is entering its fourth.”

Defining the NDA in a new way, the PM-designate said that the NDA stands for ‘New India’, ‘Developed India’ and ‘Aspirational India’.

Modi accused the Opposition of trying to undermine people’s trust in democracy. “The leaders of Opposition still live with the mentality of old century and cast doubt on the country’s democracy and about Electronic Voting Machines,” he said, emphasising that the LS poll results are an endorsement of his government’s agenda.

Modi said the NDA has got massive support in south India, adding that the BJP is forming its first government in Odisha. Ridiculing the Opposition’s failure to gain significant seats, he said that his party and NDA have got more seats in this election than the total seats the Congress got in 2014, 2019 and 2024. “Congress, even after 10 years, could not be able to touch the mark of 100 seats in the 2024 LS elections.”

Calling the election results as a resounding victory for the NDA, Modi said the NDA has a roadmap of next 10 years and will script a new chapter of development. “We will script a new chapter of development in next 10 years under the NDA government. We will script a new chapter in good governance and all fields including in the empowerment of nari shakti and reducing the government inference in the lives of middle class people through technological advancements,” he said. “NDA government, in its third term, will script a new chapter in participation of people and collectively translate the dream of Viksit Bharat.”

He also slammed the Opposition for going to the court to discredit the election process and accused them of obstructing the Election Commission’s work. He said Opposition is stuck in the past and is resisting progress and technology.

“NDA is now synonymous with development while Opposition is synonymous with destruction and obstruction,” he said. NDA leaders including N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), Nitish Kumar (JDU), Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Chirag Paswan (LJP-RV), HD Kumaraswamy (JDS), Ajit Pawar (NCP), Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal-S), and Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena) declared support to Modi for heading the NDA government.

Before concluding his speech, Modi said the 10 years of NDA government were just a trailer, much more are coming up for the nation. “We will work much harder and faster for the development of our country. People know that we will deliver. We will take decisions best suited for nation,” he asserted.