Narendra Modi: Give Me 300 Seats, I Will Empower The Country

BAREILLY/REWA: With just days to go for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, BJP's PM pick Narendra Modi has scaled up his target to 300 seats and invoked the stability card, saying only a government which has a strong mandate can deliver and command respect.

Addressing a rally in Bareilly on Tuesday, Modi said Congress was plotting and praying to ensure that the next government turned out to be a weak one, stressing that a PM can be effective only if he has the backing of 300 or more MPs. "300 se jyada MP leke baithe hue PM ki baat duniya bhi theek se sunegi (The world will pay attention to a PM who has more than 300 MPs by his side)," he said.

Modi invoked the stability card when he addressed a rally at Rewa in MP later in the day. Contending that a stable government was essential for development, he said, "No PM will be able to drive if people's mandate translates into a car with only three wheels. It is necessary that a four-wheeled government is selected to scale new heights of development."

The switch from a conservative 272 — the magic figure in the 543-strong Lok Sabha — to an ambitious 300 attracted the attention of many in political circles, and left them wondering about the possible motivation. The last 72 hours have seen Modi casting himself as "future PM", and his setting sights higher on Tuesday could be part of the same strategy to fire up the base and throw the opponents off-balance.

It could also be meant to tap into the anxiety that an unstable government will hurt the prospect of economic recovery — a worry which may lead the fence-sitters to back the frontrunner.

Importantly, considering that "stability" has for long been Congress's theme, Modi's pitch also marked an audacious attempt to snatch the plank from his chief rival.

Speaking in Bareilly, Modi alleged that Congress was "organizing yagnas" to ensure the next government was not a stable one. "They have now gone to the extent of praying that even if their party loses, a strong government does not assume power. The intention of Congress and parties like SP, BSP or Third Front is not to form the government but simply to act as spoilers," he said.

Modi, who arrived at the rally more than two hours behind schedule, began by apologizing to the crowd for the delay, adding that "he would not betray the love shown to him by those who had spent hours waiting in the scorching sun".

He sought to make a connect with locals, simultaneously taking a dig at Sonia Gandhi who represents Rae Bareli. "Soniaji's constituency may have become famous but Bareilly, which has already been famous through the hit song 'Jhumka gira re', will ensure that Congress, SP, BSP have a mighty fall in these polls," he said as the crowds cheered.

He also played on the date — April 1 — saying "for the Congress government, each of the 365 days in the year is an April Fools' Day". Reiterating that UP has a big role to play – the state will send 80 MPs to Parliament — he ended his speech by again emphasizing on the need for an absolute majority. "Give me 300 seats and I promise you that I will give you a strong government that empowers people," he said.