Modi at 2: I am an MP from UP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Saharanpur, western Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday to kick off the celebrations marking two years of his government, virtually kicked off the BJP’s campaign for the 2017 UP Assembly polls. The message for the high-stakes electoral battle was delivered in one line: “Main Uttar Pradesh wala hun, main aap ka MP hun, mujhe aap ka ashirwad chahiye (I am a from UP, I am your MP and I seek your blessings).”

The PM pointedly chose Saharanpur, known as the sugar bowl of North India, in Jat-dominated western UP to send out this signal. While his speech mainly focused on the achievements of his government, he also showed his awareness of local issues, referring to the problems of the region’s cane growers, promising he will soon frame a policy to ensure quick payments and a better deal for their crops.

Reaching out to minorities in the communally-volatile region, the PM said that for him the country was his family. “Previously it had become a fashion to formulate schemes for various votebanks. But for me, all 125 crore people in the country are my family. There is no caste or religion for me, and all our schemes are for everyone”, he said. Musli-ms at the rally greeted this with thunderous applause, making the PM pause for a few seconds. He also cut across caste and community divisions, and said: “Na jat hain na paat hain, na koi smpraday, hum sab ke saath hain (We don’t believe in caste or communities, we are for all).”

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who was with the PM at the rally, urged people to end the BJP’s 14-year exile from power in UP, and to give it a full majority. Mr Singh, a former UP CM, is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility of the UP campaign, but is not likely to be named the CM candidate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the Saharanpur rally on Thursday that in view of the shortage of doctors in the country, he had decided to raise the retirement age of all doctors in government hospitals in the country to 65 years. Mr Modi appealed to all doctors to offer free treatment to pregnant women who are poor on the 9th of each month.

“I appeal to all doctors to give 12 days in a year for their poor sisters and mothers... This is not asking for too much”, he said.

Mr Modi also mounted a scathing attack on previous (read Congress) governments, but did not specifically name any party or individual. “Two years ago, on TV, in newspapers and on street corners, there was talk of corruption. My aim was to stop the loot and when we came to power, I was shocked to see the extent of the corruption that had taken place. In the past two years, my biggest achievement is that there has been no blot of corruption on my government, and even our rivals have not levelled any allegation of corruption against us”, he said.

“Yeh desh badal raha hai magar kuchh logon ka dimaag nahin badal raha hai”, he said, in a obvious reference to the Opposition.

He said before he came to power, states used to get 35 per cent of funds while the Centre kept 65 per cent of the money with itself. “My biggest decision was to give 65 per cent to the states and keep only 35 per cent with the Centre because as chief minister, I knew what lack of resources meant”, he said.

The PM spoke of the decisions taken to empower the poor, including the crop insurance scheme and free gas cylinders for poor families.

In a move aimed at helping people connect directly with the PM, BJP vice-president Om Mathur gave out a number to people and asked them to give a missed call, that would enable them to download an app and be connected with Mr Modi.