BJP presses Opp parties to name their PM candidate

Senior BJP leader and Union minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday pressed the Opposition parties to reveal the name of their prime ministerial candidate, saying they should not keep people in dark on this issue any more since they claim they are going to form their government.

“In 2014 elections, it was (Narendra) Modi versus Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi. In 2019, it's Modi versus who? I expect from the Opposition that people in a healthy democracy are not kept in dark. They should clearly tell the nation who will lead their government instead of playing hide and seek game since they repeatedly claim they are going to form the government,” he said.

Singh, at the same time, asserted that his party will win “more seats” than that it won in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

“Possibility of the NDA getting a two-third majority in the elections can't be ruled out,” he added.

Citing reasons behind his confidence in the NDA coming back to power, Singh said that “hope and expectations” of the people from Modi in 2014 elections turned into “confidence and belief” during the five years of Modi government and its performance.

“There is a sense of satisfaction among people. People want Modi ji to lead the nation for yet another term,” he said, listing various steps taken during Modi regime on various fronts including security of the country.

Singh was addressing a press conference here at the BJP headquarters.

Singh's statement was seen as the BJP's fresh push to it's narrative to woo voters in the states where polling is set to be held for 59 seats in the last and the final phase of the elections on May 19.

Modi's leadership compared to those in the rival camp has been one of the key themes of the BJP-led NDA's poll campaigns.

Seeking votes in their favour, the BJP leaders and those of it's allies are constantly conveying to the masses that India needs a strong government with a clear mandate and that there will be chaos and instability if the Opposition parties emerge victorious in the elections.

Replying to questions on the BJP's poll prospects in Uttar Pradesh, where it won 73 seats in 2014, Singh said that his party has set a target of winning 74 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state this time.

He said that his party had earlier believed that the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh would be “effective.”

“But it (the SP-BSP alliance) has fizzled out,” he added.