BJP tells its CMs to keep ‘New India’ focus on poor

New Delhi: The BJP’s top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, on Sunday held a meeting of 13 BJP chief ministers and deliberated on the vision for a “New India” that would include the poor, the deprived and farmers in the development model and in promoting Antodaya schemes. Mr Modi reiterated that a “New India” could be achieved by bringing in Antodaya — social justice and socio-economic equality — for all. The term “Antodaya” (reaching out to the last man) was coined by Sangh ideologue Deendayal Upadhayay and has been the guilding principle of Central government schemes and various BJP campaigns. Several Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari and M. Venkaiah Naidu, also attended this meeting at the BJP headquarters. Two deputy chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh — Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma — also attended the meeting. The chief ministers of BJP-ruled states also told the party bosses about the ways and means used to promote schemes, including Central schemes. The BJP top brass told them to stress on the social media to promote as well as to connect with the masses.

The BJP chief ministers were also asked to formulate and successfully implement schemes that benefit the common man. At the recently-concluded BJP national executive meeting in Bhubaneswar, Mr Modi had asked the party leaders to work towards socio-economic transformation of the country along with providing good and corruption-free governance. They were also asked about the progress of various Central schemes and how these have benefited the poor and marginalised. Some of the chief ministers, including Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan, also held presentations of some state schemes.

On many occasions, Mr Modi has stressed on promoting and implementing pro-poor policies with party leaders. It was also the central theme of Mr Modi’s address at the BJP national executive meeting in Bhubaneswar.