NDA’s repeated success in NE due to PM Modi’s passionate work: Himanta

Guwahati, Mar 6 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the BJP and NDA have tasted repeated success in the Northeast due to the sole efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that after years of hard work and constant focus, the BJP under Modi’s leadership has not just won votes, but also hearts.

Coalitions backed by the BJP have retained power in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura following the assembly elections, results of which were declared on March 2.

“Certain quarters allege that BJP’s rise in the northeast was a result of defections or arm-twisting’. This is nothing but a narrative peddled by a lazy and frustrated gang,” Sarma said in a series of tweets.

On the contrary, it is due to the sole efforts of Modi that the BJP and the NDA have performed well in the region, he said.

“There has been no PM before Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji who has so passionately worked on bringing the North East into the consciousness of the national mainstream.

“OUTCOME: Not once but TWICE, BJP/NDA won the mandate of all NE States in both Assembly & Lok Sabha polls through POPULAR VOTE,” said the convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional wing of NDA.

Responding to Sarma’s posts, Modi tweeted: “We will continue working with full vigour and fulfil the development needs of the Northeast.”

The PM will be visiting the Northeast on a two-day programme from Tuesday, during which he will attend the oath-taking ceremonies of the NDA governments in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

Sarma also claimed that Modi has visited the region over 50 times, which is “more than the visits by all previous PMs put together” between 1947 and 2014.

“CONTRAST: Despite Northeast giving so much to Congress in last 70 years, Rahul (Gandhi), who made 200 visits abroad since 2014, visited our region less than 15 times,” Sarma said in another tweet.

As a result, the Congress, which once ruled all the eight Northeastern states, is now struggling to remain even the principal opposition party, he said.

Sarma said unlike the “vote bank politics” of the opposition party, the prime minister adopted the Nation First’ approach.

“IMPACT: AFSPA withdrawn from many areas without compromising on security, civilian casualties down by 90%, peace deals signed & inter-state boundary issues on verge of resolution,” he said.

“Hon’ble PM has diligently worked to project Northeast, locally and globally. INSTANCE: In foreign & domestic visits, he makes it a point to wear region’s attire Assamese Gamosa or Manipur’s Meitei Lengyan. And in every Mann ki Baat, he shares inspiring stories from NE,” Sarma added.

He also stated that under Modi, there has been a diligent thrust to recognise and groom local leadership from the region in the government and the party.

“This is a huge departure from Cong’s divide & rule policy. IMPACT: Today, for the first time in country’s history, Union Cabinet has highest ever representation from NE,” the Assam CM said.

Over 9,000 youngsters gave up arms since 2014, and more than 1,000 youth from the Northeast have been recruited in Delhi Police, he said.