“Mend Your Ways, Or Else Public Will Oust You”: PM Modi Warns Opposition

New Delhi: 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday night thundered a warning to the opposition – “mend your ways or the public will oust you” – shortly after the BJP’s “historic” victory in three of four state elections.

The BJP recorded big wins in heartland states – retaining Madhya Pradesh, and dumping the Congress out of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. A triumphant Prime Minister called these results a “guarantee of hat-trick in 2024” – when the saffron party will bid for an unprecedented third consecutive term.

“Today’s victory is historic and unprecedented… sabka sath, sabka vikas bhavna (the sentiment of development with all, development for all) has won… the call for a ‘developed India’ has won… the vichar (the voice) of the oppressed has won… honesty and good governance has won,” the PM said.

“Some people are saying this hat-trick has guaranteed the 2024 victory,” he smirked, adding, “Today’s mandate proves people have zero-tolerance for corruption, appeasement and dynastic politics.”

Stepping up his all-out attack, then Prime Minister then took on the Congress and the INDIA opposition bloc directly, calling Sunday’s election results “a big lesson for Congress and their ghamandiya (arrogant) alliance”. “The campaign against corruption is getting heavy support… those parties and leaders who have no shame in standing with corrupt people… they are getting a clear warning from the voters.”

“Today’s result is a warning for those powers (who) are against the politics of progress. This is a big lesson for Congress and their ghamndiya (arrogant) alliance,” he told a cheering and raucous crowd.

The PM also took a swipe at the INDIA bloc over calls for a national caste census – a potentially key topic for the 2024 election – and hit out at “those who tried to divide the country over caste lines”.