PM warns party motormouths

New Delhi, April 22

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday underlined the support the BJP had received from backward sections of society, noting it had the maximum number of elected lawmakers from OBC, Dalit and ST communities, and asserted the party’s reach was no longer confined to a particular class, urban centres or North India.

He asked party leaders to refrain from making “irresponsible” statements, saying their responsibility had risen as public support for the BJP had increased. His comments at an interaction with the party’s MPs, MLAs and other representatives through his mobile app assume significance in the wake of Opposition parties’ attempts to put up a united front against the saffron party over the Dalit issue and also  criticism of some BJP leaders for making irresponsible statements.

The party quoted PM Modi as saying the BJP had emerged as an “all-touching, all-inclusive” organisation. “Our mass base is increasing among all sections and this is our biggest asset.”  The PM asked his party leaders and workers to use technology to link villages to development works. He will speak to workers of the poll-bound Karnataka through the video bridge technology on April 26. 

On criticism that his government had not created enough jobs, he said lifestyle and livelihood sources had changed in villages. He emphasised his government’s efforts to boost self-employment. — PTI