“Will go to people with a 10-year track record, agenda for…”: Union Home Minister Amit Shah comments on the NDA’s goal 400+

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Friday that his party’s candidates will be chosen by the electorate based on the party’s demonstrated performance over the previous ten years and its development agenda for the next 25 years, in reference to the BJP’s goal of “400 paar” (beyond 400 seats) for the ruling NDA at the Centre in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Shah, who is widely regarded as a cunning pollster and one of the main forces behind the party’s run of victories in states, declared that he was “certain” that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would easily surpass the desired threshold of more than 400 seats and that the BJP would win more than 300 seats in the next Lok Sabha elections.”With a 10-year track record and a 25-year plan to construct a magnificent and a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India), we (the BJP) have a lot to offer the people. The populace believes in our delivery and is committed to our growth objective. This 400-paar is more than just political spin. On the day of counting, you can. “The NDA will surpass 400 and we (BJP) will easily surpass 300,” Shah said on Friday during a session at the India Today Conclave 2024.On forming an alliance with Chandrababu Naidu’s Telegu Desam Party (TDP), a former ally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh, despite his previous statements criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Home Minister joked that Naidu might have come to his senses after losing the previous election.

“Earlier, we didn’t sever our relationship with Chandrababu Naidu. He made the choice to leave the NDA. He went about asking for votes, dubbed us extremist terrorists, and lost the election. Now he’s returned to his senses. All of them (regional parties eager to join the NDA) are welcome,” said Shah.Regarding the BJP’s preference for the TDP over the Andhra Pradesh ruling party, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, Shah clarified that approving legislation in Parliament does not guarantee a tie in elections, even though the party helped the ruling party at the Centre pass important laws in the Rajya Sabha.”There was no indication of any party alliances during the issue-based vote for bills in the Rajya Sabha. Additionally, his party (Jagan’s) cast three votes against us. Political alliances are often not reflected or indicated by a member’s vote on a bill or resolution in parliament. They (the opposition parties) often base their votes on how the law turns out as well as where ideas are in agreement or how they take positions on certain issues. The Union Home Minister said, “I don’t think supporting or voting in favor of a Bill or issue should lead to a tie-up.”In response to a question on whether the BJP and the governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha will form an alliance in advance of the state’s concurrent Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Shah said, “I cannot speak much on this because our national president and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not yet taken a call on it.””However, regardless of how things (aliance talks) go, the Bharatiya Janata Party will improve on its performance both in the Lok Sabha and the Assembly polls (in Odisha),” he said.

Regarding the viability of joining forces with the BJD, the BJP’s sole significant political adversary in Odisha, Shah said that an alliance between two parties is determined solely by electoral calculations and a shared ideology.”We are into hard-core politics and there isn’t much room or scope for philosophy,” Shah said to a question about whether two parties that are seen as the top and second in a state could cooperate and, if so, what the underlying philosophy was. When choosing an alliance, we consider two factors: winnability and ideological alignment.”In an unexpected change of events in the state just before the Lok Sabha elections, Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced as chief minister of Haryana by Nayab Singh Saini. The Union Home Minister said, “PM Modi said Khattar-ji has been with our party for long and is a good leader.” Thus, he might be used in Haryana or here (in the Lok Sabha elections).Shah announced the separation from Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party, the government ally in the state. He said there was no animosity towards the JJP and that their disagreement over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections was the reason for their split.”There is no ill will between ourselves and the JJP. There was no fighting among us.

Regarding the quantity of seats they want to run for, they had certain requirements. Nevertheless, given the strength and prospects of our party, we were unable to grant their request. Thus, we said our goodbyes. Our parting was simply due to a disagreement of opinion. We didn’t disparage one another,” Shah said.

on the ultimatum given by Pashupati Kumar Paras, the president of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), to the BJP on the allocation of wanted Lok Sabha seats to his party members, Shah said that the NDA would arrive at a peaceful resolution in Bihar within a week.”In a week, everything will come together. Everyone is entitled to voice their opinions in politics and to make demands that are appropriate for their level of power. Both parties come to an agreement and an acceptable resolution when we sit down and listen to each other. I’m certain that the NDA will keep growing in Bihar. We’re going to win every seat in Bihar,” said the Union Home Minister.Regarding the accusation that the BJP manipulated the opposition alliance, Maha Vikas Aghadi, in Maharashtra, Shah said that the Nationalist Congress Party and Shiv Sena separated as a consequence of “putra-putri moh,” and that the BJP was not to blame.

“I disagree with the statements claiming that we disrupted the celebrations. No party was broken by us. phir se doharata hoon ki NCP aur Shiv Sena, dono partiyan putra, putri moh mein tut gayin. Kai sari partiyan apne putra-putri ke moh me tut gayin. (The emphasis on elevating sons and daughters caused many parties to disintegrate. I reiterate: the push for son and daughter promotions caused NCP and Shiv Sena to split apart,” Shah said.

In a few days, a seat-sharing arrangement that the BJP and its partners in power in Maharashtra have worked out would be released, he said.According to Shah, Uddhav Thackeray desired for his son Aaditya to become the chief minister of Maharashtra, while Sharad Pawar, a former union minister, wanted his daughter Supriya Sule to lead the NCP.”Uddhav-ji wanted Aaditya Thackeray to be appointed as chief minister. Because they were not prepared to acknowledge Aaditya as their leader, several members of his party departed. Prior to accepting Uddhav-ji as their leader, Shiv Sena members who were active throughout Balasaheb Thackeray’s tenure were required to do so. Aditya was later requested to be accepted as their leader as well. For them, that was unacceptable. According to him, Sharad Pawar also desired for his daughter Supriya Sule to become the NCP chairman or leader.”Those not ready to accept the change in status quo left the parties,” he said.