"If Merely Winning Elections Was My Goal, I Would Not...": PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his every action is not driven solely by electoral considerations or pursuit of power, adding that if electoral victory was his sole aim, he would not have prioritized the development of the northeastern region.

In an interview with Thanti TV in Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said, "Just because I am a politician does not mean every action I undertake is only to win elections or for power or for votes. If merely winning elections was my goal, I would not have worked for the development of the northeast. I have visited northeastern states more than all of the former Prime Ministers' combined."

On development works undertaken in Tamil Nadu, PM Modi emphasised catering to the state's huge potential.

"Viksit Bharat' is Viksit Rajya which means every part of the country should be a recipient of development. It is also Viksit Tamil Nadu. To build a Viksit Bharat, we first need to develop each state. Tamil Nadu has huge potential which must not be wasted. I believe that Tamil Nadu has the potential to become the driving force behind our dream of a Viksit Bharat," he said during his conversation with Thanti TV.

The Prime Minister also hailed BJP state president K Annamalai for his ground-level works to attract the youth to politics.

"We worked for Tamil Nadu even when we did not have a single municipal candidate. Annamalai is attracting the youth. They see him and think that if money and corruption were the reasons behind his conduct, then he could have joined the DMK or AIADMK. It was not for selfish or personal reasons that Annamalai chose the BJP but to work for the nation. He is working for the country and for Tamil Nadu," PM Modi said.

PM Modi further asserted confidence in the BJP-led NDA's victory in Tamil Nadu, adding that the votes weren't just anti-DMK but pro-BJP.

"The NDA is a very strong alliance that connects the different sections of society. It is an organisation of parties representing different economic and social sections. It represents the aspirations of the people. The votes that the BJP-NDA receives aren't 'anti-DMK' but 'pro-BJP'. People have witnessed the work we have done over the past 10 years. Tamil Nadu has decided that this time it will be the BJP-NDA!," he said.

During the interview, the Prime Minister also expressed his anger, pointing out the 'injustice to the great heritage' of Tamil Nadu.

"We should promote the use of the Tamil language like the cuisine of Tamil Nadu has been globalised. I am angry because we have done injustice to the great heritage of Tamil Nadu. India has the world's oldest language, yet we don't show any pride in it. The praise of this rich heritage should reach all over the world," the Prime Minister outlined.

On the opposition parties criticising the placing of Sengol in the new parliament building, PM Modi highlighted its connection to the country's independence.

"Only a few people are aware that the initial moments of our independence are connected to the sacred Sengol. It was a symbol of the regime change. I have done a lot of research before bringing it to Parliament. Then I decided that in the new Parliament, Sengol would inspire us. It will not be merely an ornament to the shelf, but it will receive the dignity that it deserves," he said.

When asked to name three top foreign policy achievements, PM Modi said, "For me, every work is top, every work is important. I have given equal time, attention and energy to all the work I have undertaken. To me, a small nation is as important as a big nation and so today, India is seen as 'Vishwabandhu' by the world."

On the BJP's name linked to receiving a huge amount of funds through electoral bonds, PM Modi said, "People who are protesting against the electoral bonds will soon regret it. Before 2014, there was no trail of funds given to political parties during elections. I introduced the electoral bonds. Thanks to the electoral bonds, we can now trace the source of funding. Nothing is perfect, imperfections can be addressed."

When asked if he has ever considered contesting from Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said he never even imagined contesting elections nor does he aspire to be a politician. But destiny brought him to where he is now.

On the slogans raised regarding NDA winning 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister said that it is the public's decision.

"The people of the country have decided 'Mission 400'. Not me. People have realised the importance of political stability and the power of their vote," PM Modi said.

"It's their vote that will feed the poor and empower them. It is their vote that will help in 'Nari Shakti'. So it's public's decision," he added.

There are 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The state is voting on April 19 in a single phase of polling.

During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats.

The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)