2019 polls helped break walls, connected hearts: PM Narendra Modi

Amid thunderous applause and chanting of Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Modi…Modi…in the central hall of Parliament, 353 newly elected lawmakers on Saturday chose Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the leader of the BJP's parliamentary committee and the NDA.

Before addressing the members of the 17th Lok Sabha, PM Modi touched the feet of party veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi and bowed before a copy of the Constitution.

Describing the 2019 elections as a watershed moment that left the world awestruck because of its scale and magnitude, PM Modi stressed the need to inculcate the spirit of service in an inclusive manner. The polls helped break walls and joined hearts, he said.

"As the spirit to serve increases, it automatically reduced the lure for power and soon the spirit to serve will become the central theme of your personality," he said stressing that the people voted for them because of spirit to serve and not because of Modi.

"2019 elections were very different in one respect. The BJP and Modi were not fighting elections but the public was fighting elections," he said describing the electoral campaign as a pilgrimage for him and crediting crores of people for keeping faith in his spirit to serve.

In a clear message to the NDA allies that their importance was not going to diminish despite the BJP getting massive mandate with 303 MPs, PM Modi said, "I am one among you, equal to you and we have to work together. This is the power of NDA."

He said the Gathbandhan or politics of alliance is there to stay and needs to be the part of principle of governance and if possible, be extended further.

"To develop and achieve its full potential, the country picks up speed on the two tracks of – NARA - national ambition and regional aspiration. This should be our 'Nara' or what you call slogan," he said, adding that the most important lubricant of NDA is trust that keeps it strong.

In a message that could go a long way to control vigilante groups and lower the apprehensions among minorities, he said, "We are with those who war with us and also with those who will be with us. Nobody is alien to us now….Those who vote for us are ours and those who oppose us strongly are also ours."

Making himself more specific, he said, "It is unfortunate that like the poor, minorities of this country have also been deceived and fed fear. It would have been better if their education and health were kept as priorities. In 2019, I expect from you to break this deception in. We have to win their faith."

PM Modi also cautioned the first time MPs and old motormouths not to fall into the trap of touts in Delhi as well as not to do loose talk before the media, especially television, as that has often dented the party's prestige.

"Atalji kehte the ki ye chhapas and dikhaas ka rog ek prakar ka nashaa hota hai. Issey bachkar rehna hai. (Atalji used to say that the disease to see the name in print and on television is a kind of dope. And one should keep away from it," Modi said.

After his address PM Modi exchanged pleasantries with MPs and then went to meet President Ram Nath Kovind to stake claim to form the new government.

"President appointed me PM-elect and asked me to form the new government. Want to assure people the new government will not leave any stone unturned to fulfil their aspirations," said PM Modi after meeting President Kovind.

Words Of Caution For MPs

• Modi said country’s minorities have been deceived and fed fear for years. He urged his party MPs to shatter this deception
• He had a piece of advice for the young guns as well as motormouths – don’t do loose talks, particularly before media as it hurts party image
• On Sunday, Modi will visit his mother in Gujarat to seek her blessings. On Monday, he will go to Varanasi, where he contested the polls