2019 elections 'united people' and gave 'positive mandate': PM Modi at parliamentary meet

Prime Minister Modi on Saturday said the 2019 elections "united people" and gave a "positive mandate".

While speaking at the parliamentary meeting, PM Modi said, "Elections divide and create gulf but 2019 polls united people and society. There was a pro-incumbency wave in this election, its result was a positive mandate".

"These elections were pro-incumbency. This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and govt but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust," he said.

The prime minister was addressing the newly-elected members of Parliament belonging to BJP and other allies in the NDA in the Central Hall of Parliament.

Watch- PM Modi at Parliament: We will transform India together

Stating that there was no better path than serving people while in power, PM Modi said his first government worked for the poor people who in 2019 re-elected his party.

He also reached out to minorities saying there will be no discrimination against anyone on the basis of caste, sect and religion and gave a new slogan of "trust towards all".

Modi said political parties in the past played deceit on minorities who were used for vote bank politics.

"They were kept in illusion, climate of fear and insecurity. They were misled by deceit. It would have been better if they were given education so that some good leaders emerged from the community, which could have become equal to other sections. But for the sake of vote bank politics, they were kept away from everything."

"Today I appeal to all that we have to break that deceit on minorities. We have to gain their trust. We have to move shoulder to shoulder without discriminating on the basis of caste, sect and religion. We are for 130 crore people. These should be our priorities and responsibility. 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas aur ab Sabka Vishwas (Everyone`s support, everyone`s development and now everyone`s trust). This is our mantra. I will leave no stone unturned and I will work for all citizens of India," he said.

Speaking to the NDA MPs, he said, "You all have elected me as the leader, I think of it as a part of the system, I'm one of you, equal to you"

"We are for those who trusted us and also for those whose trust we have to win over".

He further claimed that some statements made for publicity often trouble them and asked the NDA leaders to restrict themselves in speaking to media.

He also asked the leaders to shun VIP culture and asked them to  stand in queues wherever required, like other citizens. 

"Don't trust media reports on names being considered for ministerial berths, responsibilities will be given as per norms.

"Minorities made to live in fear by those who believed in vote-bank politics, we have to end this deception and take everyone along," Modi said.

The parliamentary board of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as leader of NDA coalition at a meeting in Parliament's Central Hall in New Delhi on Saturday.

Amit shah proposed Narendra Modi's name as the leader of BJP Parliamentary Party while Rajnath singh and Nitin Gadkari seconded the proposal which was endorsed by all BJP MPs. 

Top alliance leaders, including JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray and Akali Dal's Parkash Singh Badal, extended their party's support after Modi was elected as the leader of the BJP parliamentary party at first.

Modi's election was a mere formality as the NDA had already declared him the alliance's prime ministerial candidate.

(With inputs from agencies)