NDA laid foundation of new politics in South with LS poll performance: Modi

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) strengthened the foundation of a "new politics" in south India with its performance in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

Addressing the NDA parliamentary party meet here, he hailed BJP candidate Suresh Gopi's victory from Thrissur Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, saying for the first time, a representative of his party could make it to Parliament from the state.

Modi also acknowledged the NDA's electoral performance in the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu and said though the alliance, which included the BJP, could not win any seat in the state, the rise in its vote share there sent out a "clear message" for the future.

"In this election, the NDA has strengthened the foundation of a new politics in south India," Modi said in his address.

Taking on the Congress, he said, "They had recently formed their government in Karnataka and Telangana. But the people's faith (in the Congress) instantly shattered. They came out of illusion and embraced the NDA in both of the states."

Thanking the "Tamil Nadu team", he said, "Our NDA grouping is very big there... Many of the NDA partners in Tamil Nadu did not have their candidate. But to keep this flag high, they got involved completely. Though we could not win any seat in Tamil Nadu, but with the pace our vote share increased gives a clear message as to what is written for tomorrow."

The BJP and its NDA partners in Tamil Nadu contested all the 39 seats with the BJP fielding candidates in 23 constituencies. The NDA together secured a 18.28 per cent vote share, showing an increase by 3.31 per cent. The BJP alone saw an increase in its vote share from 3.6 per cent in 2019 to 11.24 per cent this time.

"In Kerala, hundreds of our workers sacrificed their lives," Modi said in an apparent reference to alleged killing of BJP workers in various incidents of political violence in the state.

"If such atrocities have ever happened against people living with a particular ideology in Indian political life, then I can say it has happened in Kerala. It has happened more than (what happened) in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

"There was no victory in sight. Still, they never backed down from putting in utmost effort. Spent generations on it. And, for the first time today, our representative has come to Parliament from Kerala," he added, in an apparent reference to Gopi.

Modi hailed the NDA's victory in 21 Lok Sabha seats out of a total 25 in Andhra Pradesh and said such a big mandate to the alliance is reflection of the people's desire for progress of the country.

While NDA constituent TDP won 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh, the BJP emerged victorious in 3 seats and Janasena Party 2 seats.