"Let Opposition Provoke, Control Your Speech": PM's 'Victory Mantra' To MPs

Stepping up the ruling alliance's preparations for the 2024 elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given MPs a list of "victory mantras", one of which is to exercise restraint in their speech even in the face of provocation by the opposition.

Continuing his meetings with small clusters of MPs from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Prime Minister addressed a group of over 45 Members of Parliament from various states yesterday. He urged the MPs to work for the poor and also hit out at the opposition for promoting the culture of freebies. 

Emphasising on things the MPs can do to ensure the alliance's victory in the polls,  PM Modi exhorted them to exercise restraint in their speech. "The opposition will instigate, but control your speech so that there is no chance of controversy," a BJP source quoted the PM as saying. 

He also asked the MPs to face the newly formed opposition alliance, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), based on facts and increase their focus on states in south India, where the NDA has not won as many seats as it had hoped for in the past. 

The Prime Minister stressed on the need for outreach and promoting the works that have been done by the government. He asked the MPs to work for the poor and all sections of society while increasing contact with people in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies. 

BJP sources said the PM urged the MPs to be more active on social media and get help from professionals, if needed. He also asked the MPs not to focus on new projects as much, but publicise all the work that has been done by the government so far. He suggested that call centres can also be set up to do so.

In an earlier meeting, the Prime Minister had said that Rajya Sabha MPs should contest elections. He had said nothing would come of thinking that everything would be fine and that the MPs would have to go among people on the ground to understand and resolve their issues.

The BJP has divided 430 NDA MPs into 11 groups for separate meetings with the Prime Minister. The meetings, which began on July 31 and are expected to go on till August 10, are aimed at increasing synergy in the ruling alliance's election efforts, said party sources.