Modi pooh-poohs attempts by regional parties to form govt, says Congress will get less than 44

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dismissed the possibility of formation of a government led by regional political parties at the Centre saying BJP and NDA would get more than its present numbers and form a strong government with full majority.

The Congress would go down from its present strength of 44 because people are not ready to vote for that party, he told ANI here in the midst of his whirlwind campaign in Haryana.

Asked about the moves by the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to form a government on the expectation that BJP will not get a majority, Modi said, "People are saying that BJP will get more seats than it has now. The allies in the NDA will get more seats than now. We will get a strong government with full majority. We are getting more seats in areas where we don't have enough seats now. We are getting seats from all corners of India."

The Prime Minister said the Congress has been indulging in a campaign of lies for which there is no need for a proof. The people have understood this and will consign that party to a number below 44, which it won in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he added.

Sensing defeat, the Opposition has already started hurling abuses at him, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the Election Commission in the proportion of "one-third, one-third, one-third," the Prime Minister said.

"After assessing the first three phases when the ground under their feet started slipping, the Opposition started abusing me. Then they started apportioning the blame one-third to me, one-third to the EVMs and one-third to the Election Commision because they realised that people are not going to give them the mandate," Modi said.

Like the one who doesn't play well and loses the match starts blaming the umpire, they are now blaming the umpire, he said.

The Prime Minister asserted that he has been with the people for the last five years and has not locked himself in the PMO. "There is a criticism that I have been in a campaign mode for the last five years. I have been in the midst of the people. If my predecessors did not do this, go and ask them why they didn't do it."

Asked about the criticism that he was harping on nationalism to divert attention from people's issues, Modi shot back saying he first raised issues like Provision of Houses for Poor, Electricity for all, Ayushman Bharat scheme for health for poor and expected Congress to challenge him saying, "I am lying."

Since they could not challenge me, they started abusing me with lies for which there is no need for proof and people have understood this.