Will take action in 2019: PM Narendra Modi to absentee MPs

NEW DELHI: In his sternest comments yet on absenteeism among BJP MPs in Parliament, PM Narendra Modi on Thursday put the members on notice, hinting they could not take things for granted when it comes to the next Lok Sabha election.

Though his annoyance was triggered by the embarrassment over a poor BJP turnout in Rajya Sabha during the crucial bill to give the national commission for backward classes constitutional status, Modi made plain his annoyance with truant party MPs, including those from Lok Sabha. "Aap apni marzi ki karte rahiye, mujhe jo karna hai, 2019 mein karoonga." (You do at your will and I will also act accordingly in 2019)," said Modi at the last meeting of the parliamentary party meet for the monsoon session. Don't blame me later (with regard to 2019), the PM said, underlining that renomination will be subject to strict performance reviews.

Modi is understood to have said "You and I don't count (the party does)" and added that what do you think you are? The embarrassment suffered over the National Commission For Backward Classes (NCBC) bill clearly angered the PM, given the political significance of the move and the effort he has put in to push the legislation. A crucial clause in the constitutional amendment bill fell due to a lack of two-thirds vote and the success of opposition amendments due to 31 BJP and NDA MPs being absent.


For good measure, the PM also noted that BJP president Amit Shah would soon be in the House and an "atmosphere of holidaying will come to an end".

The PM's remark has to be read along with the not-so-subtle warning BJP president Amit Shah had sounded at the last meeting of the parliamentary party when he told MPs that they should not take things for granted and should be grateful to to the party for having been given the ticket because in any constituency there were at least a dozen similarly eligible ticket aspirants.

On Thursday, Shah also explained the result of the Gujarat Rajya Sabha poll where Congress candidate Ahmed Patel won a narrow victory, saying that things would have turned out differently had two votes of Congress rebels not been disqualified.