PM Modi has turned BJP's ideology into reality, says Fadnavis

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned the ideology of the BJP into reality, adding the PM always told leaders and workers that the party was not a machine to just win elections.

Speaking at a book release event here, the senior BJP leader said winning polls was part of the party's functioning as it had adopted democracy.

"Modiji always tells us we (BJP) are not a machine to just win elections. Winning polls is part of our functioning as we have adopted democracy. In a democracy, to bring about change, we will have to win elections. The PM brought the same thought into reality and showed it can be done," Fadnavis said.

He said former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had formed a coalition government with 22 parties with a common minimum programme that did not have issues like revoking of Article 370, Ram Temple.

Vajpayee at the time had said the CMP was of a coalition and these issues would be there if it was a government of the BJP, Fadnavis said.

When Modi became PM, he made all these issues a reality, the former chief minister added.

"In true sense, PM Modi showed the ideology or thought of a party can be brought into reality by executing the change," Fadnavis claimed.

He added that India underwent a "decade of decay" between 2004 and 2014 under the Congress-led UPA government, while under the leadership of Modi, the country successfully fought the COVID-19 pandemic and administered vaccines to its 125 crore population and even exported it to 50 nations.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the External Affairs Minister told the world, and USA especially, that India was concerned about its interests first.

Even Russia believes PM Modi is best suited to mediate to stop the present war, he said.

He also released a book on the life of Prof Na Sa Pharande, late chairman of Maharashtra Legislative Council at another event.

"Samrasta or hamrony is our way of living but we politicians tend to opt for social engineering. However, I believe only the BJP is using the path of samrasta. In other parties, leaders are brought forward in the name of social engineering while decisions are taken by someone sitting in Delhi," he claimed.