Standing on cusp of history, PM Modi says NDA ready for polls
The HinduThe schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha election was announced by the Election Commission on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third term in office, declaring that the National Democratic Alliance led by him was fully prepared for the election. Mr. Modi claimed that 10 years ago, before the BJP came to power at the Centre, the people of India were feeling betrayed and disillusioned “thanks to INDI Alliance’s pathetic governance”. Like “Chaiwallah” and “Main bhi chowkidaar” following Opposition jibes before the 2014 and 2019 elections, “Modi ka Parivar” is set to be a major theme for the 2024 election. If he prevails in the election, Mr. Modi will only be the second Prime Minister to get a third successive term after India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Elaborating on the theme, political scientist Rahul Verma, associated with the Centre for Policy Research, said that what differentiates Mr. Modi from former PM Nehru is that “there are chances that his strength and popularity are increasing, unlike for the Congress”.