Shah asks workers to gear up for LS polls

BJP national president Amit Shah on Tuesday asked the party workers not to “rest” following the saffron party's landslide win in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls and asked them to focus on the booths, where the party lagged behind.

Speaking on the concluding day of the two-day state BJP executive committee meeting here, Shah also cautioned the workers against being “arrogant” and asked them to remain humble.

“We must show the people of UP and the country that we are not like Samajwadi Party (SP) and BSP....we are not in power for ourselves...we are in power to serve the people,” he said.

Shah said that the massive win in UP had made it clear that the people did not want the politics of appeasement, family and caste. ''The people now want the politics of development,'' he added.

“We should now focus on the seats where we are behind others...we must try to ensure that the dalits and backwards get associated with the party,” the BJP chief said.

Shah not only listed the achievements of the Narendra Modi government in its three-year stint but also attacked former prime minister Manmohan Singh. “No one knew when Manmohan Singh used to go on foreign visits.....people here waited for months to hear him...but now we have a prime minister, who regularly interacts with the people,” he remarked.

He also heaped praise on UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said that the party was confident that his government would be able to take the state on the path of development and progress.

State BJP leaders said that Shah asked them to gear up to face the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and ensure that the party wrests the seats it could not win in 2014.