Shah exhorts BJP workers to ensure win on 74 LS seats in UP

BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday exhorted party cadres to ensure party's victory in 74 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming 2019 general elections by working to secure 50 per cent of polled votes for its candidates at every booth.

Addressing the party's booth-level workers, Shah sought to put the party's poll machinery in election mode and asked them to resolve to get 50 per cent of polled votes for the BJP at every booth.

The 2019 elections should be remembered as the one in which Uttar Pradesh gave 74 seats to make Narendra Modi the prime minister again, Shah told the BJP workers.

"Behenji says she wants a 'majboor' (weak) government that can indulge in corruption, but we want a 'mazboot' (strong) government," Shah asserted.

"Tell me what do you want. Narendra Modi is the only one who can give a strong government. They, however, do not want a government which is run by a leader but by a dealer," he said.

"As it was said in 2014 that Modi could form a majority government because Uttar Pradesh gave 73 seats, it is my request with folded hands to ensure 74 seats so that Modi can become PM again," he said.

In 2014 elections, a strong foundation of BJP was laid, in 2017 a building was made on it and the 2019 elections provide an opportunity to "saffronise" it, he said.

Making an apparent reference to the poll alliance between Mayawati's BSP and Akhilesh Yadav's SP, Shah claimed once the BJP wins the 2019 elections, "it would be neither bua nor bhatija, but only the BJP here for the next 25 years."