Government has the trust and mandate of people: Narendra Modi

BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday listed out his government’s achievements and took jibes at “family-controlled Congress” that could never “dream of doing anything about the poor”.

The PM chose Cuttack in Odisha to celebrate NDA’s four years in powers. “Our government is not working from Janpath but janmat,” said Modi pointing out that rural electrification of all homes in India was achieved after more than 70 years of Independence.

Much of the hour-long speech was dedicated to listing out the NDA’s policies and programmes — from Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to bullet train. The PM, nonetheless reserved stinging remarks for the Opposition. “Our government’s commitment to fight black money and corruption has turned the fiercest of enemies into friends. People can see through this,” said the PM.


He said his government had both the trust and the mandate of the people, which was why the BJP had gone from being in power in five states to forming government in 20 states in the last four years.

Modi claimed his government could prioritise the poor because many of them, him including, had come up the hard way.

Modi also touched on the Mahanadi issue, prompting loud applause from the audience. As 2019 approaches, the interstate river dispute that has the Centre and BJP-led Chhattisgarh facing off with Naveen Patnaik’s BJD is becoming a hot subject. “The state government could do nothing to get the Mahanadi waters to the fields in Odisha,” said Modi and promised to prioritise completion of eight irrigation projects in the state.