PM Modi: ‘Proud to be a BJP karyakarta. Nitin Nabin is my boss’

“Jo Congress ki buraiyon se bachega, wahi desh mein aage badhega (Only those who save themselves from the ills of the Congress will progress in the country),” he added.

Telling Nabin that his responsibility was not just to serve the BJP but also to coordinate with NDA allies, Modi said: “Whoever has come in contact with Nabin ji talks about his simplicity. Be it his responsibility as a prabhari or his experience of working with the Bihar government, Nabin has proved himself in every responsibility he was given.”

Praising Nabin’s combination of youth and organisational experience, Modi said he would steer the party at a time when the next 25 years are of great importance for the country, which aspires to become developed by 2047. “Nitinji is himself, as they say these days, a millennial. He belongs to a generation that has witnessed social, technological and economic change in India. His generation has seen both radio and AI. He has the energy of youth along with vast organisational experience,” the PM said.

Recalling the contributions of past BJP presidents, Modi reminisced about the party’s predecessor, the Jana Sangh. “We have seen the journey from zero to the peak. The BJP won a majority on its own under the leadership of (Union minister) Rajnath Singh. It expanded to many states under (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and came to power for the third time under (Union minister) J P Nadda,” he said.

Modi also recalled the sacrifices of Jana Sangh workers. “The BJP was born from the Jana Sangh and today is the largest political party in the world,” he said, adding that democracy flows in the veins of India.

Praise for BJP

“The BJP is a sanskar (tradition), a parivar (family). Here, relationships are more important than membership. Responsibility is lifelong. Leadership changes in the BJP, but not its direction. The BJP’s nature and spirit are national… Our roots are deep,” Modi said, adding that the party turns regional aspirations into national ambitions. That, he said, is why people from across the country are joining the BJP.

Serving the people is supreme for the BJP, Modi asserted, saying that power is a route to service, not pleasure. Over the last 11 years, he said, the BJP’s journey of winning public trust has been unique. In states like Haryana, Assam and Odisha, he noted, the party has come to power on its own. He also highlighted the party’s growth in West Bengal.

Modi said that the BJP is not just the first choice of people in Parliament and state assemblies, but also in local bodies, as Maharashtra has recently shown. “Out of 29 big cities, voters in 25 have chosen the BJP and the NDA,” he said, adding that the party now has around 100 councillors in Kerala. He highlighted the party’s success in Thiruvananthapuram. “I have faith that the people of Kerala will give the BJP a chance in the next Assembly elections,” Modi said.

“India’s different models of governance”

Modi said the country has witnessed different models of governance in the past — dynastic politics, regional parties, and phases of instability — and is now seeing the BJP’s model of development. He added that the BJP is the party that has truly followed the path of social justice by taking governance to the poor.

Recalling how Gujarat faced acute water scarcity when he took over as Chief Minister, Modi said: “I was connected with the ground reality and had seen the pain of mothers and sisters. We then launched the Jal Jeevan Mission and connected more than 12 crore families with tap water… LPG connections have grown from 14 crore in 2014 to over 33 crore today.”

He said that for decades tribal families were treated merely as a vote bank, but the BJP understood the pain of the most backward tribes. The PM Janman Yojana has helped them, he asserted.

PM slams Congress

Modi said the Congress ignored the Northeast because it did not have many seats there. The BJP, he added, connected the region with both dil (heart) and Dilli (Delhi).

He said the BJP must retain the people’s trust, as the nation aspires to a Viksit Bharat by 2047. “The reform journey we began has now become the Reform Express,” Modi said.

Recalling key decisions of the BJP government, he said Article 370 was abrogated and a law against instant triple talaq was enacted — moves once thought impossible. “Maoist terrorism is also breathing its last,” Modi said, adding that the party must face future challenges with full strength.

‘Infiltrators’ and demographic change

“Infiltration and demographic change are major challenges. Other countries do the same, and no one questions them for removing infiltrators. No country accepts infiltrators. India, too, cannot allow infiltrators to snatch the rights of its youth. They must be identified and sent back. Parties that defend infiltrators for vote-bank politics must be exposed,” Modi said.

Calling “urban Naxals” a serious threat, Modi said they attempt to make the BJP and those who praise it untouchable. “They continue to conspire. We must defeat them through the strength of our organisation and ideology,” he added.

Criticising dynastic politics, Modi said the BJP is not against the talent of anyone’s son or daughter, but opposes the promotion of family control over ideology. Such politics, he said, blocks opportunities for youth without political lineage. He reiterated his call for one lakh first-time politicians without political family backgrounds.

Modi said there was a need to reflect on what destroyed the Congress and learn lessons to safeguard the BJP from similar weaknesses. “In 1984, the Congress had more than 400 seats — even more than during Nehru’s time — and nearly 50% vote share. Today, it struggles to cross 100 seats. It never analyses its decline because doing so would mean questioning the same family that controls the party. Instead, it looks for excuses,” he said.

“The BJP, on the other hand, analyses both victories and defeats. We did not celebrate the Maharashtra victory; instead, we began preparing for the upcoming panchayat elections,” Modi said.

Speaking after the Prime Minister, Nabin thanked the party leadership for making an ordinary worker the BJP president. He recalled attending a programme in Anand, Gujarat, where he was impressed by how Modi listened to everyone. Nabin said he learnt that those who carry everyone along are the ones who truly succeed.

He thanked outgoing president Nadda for steering the party, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis, and recalled the contributions of former party chiefs such as (Union ministers) Nitin Gadkari and Amit Shah.

Saying he hailed from the land of Buddha, Emperor Ashoka, and socialist icons Jayaprakash Narayan and Karpoori Thakur, Nabin invoked the legacy of Pataliputra.

He recalled the Jan Dhan scheme, which ensured that every rupee sent reached the beneficiary, and said Kashmir had changed for the better after the abrogation of Article 370.

Calling upon the youth to participate in constructive politics, Nabin urged party workers to work tirelessly to realise the dream of Viksit Bharat.

“When we talk about Somnath today, the Opposition has a problem. Such forces must be defeated,” Nabin said, adding that the party should prepare rigorously for the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry.