They are talking merging parties out of fear that they won't win enough seats to even be a recognised Opposition: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the necessity of a robust Opposition, lamenting its absence over the past decade, during his conversation with Network18 aboard a boat on the Ganga river on Tuesday.

“I want the Opposition to be strong. I am working on that. But a stronger Opposition should not mean that they don’t allow the House to function, create a ruckus, and start working in an undemocratic manner. It is unfortunate for the country that these people have completely failed in their roles as the Opposition in the last 10 years. They don’t have anything to showcase that they accomplished by being in the Opposition. The people who have failed as the Opposition, how can they succeed in power? There is a serious need for a strong democracy in India as well as a strong Opposition,” Prime Minister Modi said.

“Therefore, I welcome (NCP supremo) Sharad Pawar’s suggestion that all small parties should be merged with the Congress. Whether they want to merge with Congress or somewhere else, that’s not my concern. However, what I figured out is that if they are merged during this election, they are apprehensive that the ‘Honourable Opposition’ won’t be possible still because they might not get the requisite number of seats,” said the prime minister.

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Considering the circumstances, Prime Minister Modi attempted to ease the situation for the Opposition, allowing them to have a voice in significant matters.

“You will be surprised to know that I brought some changes to the law. We have many committees where the Leader of the Opposition can participate. These committees usually make very important decisions. So, I initiated a change of law and facilitated the leader of the largest party to be allowed to participate in those committees as there has been no Leader of the Opposition since 2014,” Prime Minister Modi said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi filed his nomination for the ongoing Lok Sabha election from the Varanasi constituency at an event attended by several NDA leaders, including Union ministers and chief ministers, in a show of strength as he seeks a third term from the same seat.

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Before reaching the district collectorate, the prime minister performed an aarti on the banks of the Ganga at the Dashashwamedh ghat and prayers at the city’s Kaal Bhairav temple.

Immediately after filing his papers, the prime minister headed for the Rudraksha Convention Centre to address local party leaders and workers.

A local spokesperson of the BJP said Modi gave the party’s office bearers the “mantra of victory” and asked them to make people aware of his government’s schemes. A PTI report said that Modi also told them to ensure that every booth records at least 370 more votes than it did in the last general election, in celebration of the abrogation of Article 370.

After filing his nomination, Prime Minister Modi posted on ‘X’, “Filed my nomination papers as a candidate for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. It is an honour to serve the people of this historic seat. With the blessings of the people, there have been remarkable achievements over the last decade. This pace of work will get even faster in the times to come.”

“I am honoured by the presence of our valued NDA allies in Kashi today. Our alliance represents a commitment to national progress and fulfilling regional aspirations. We will work together for the progress of India in the years to come,” he said.

In a separate post in Hindi, the prime minister said, “Heartfelt gratitude to my family members in Kashi… The love and blessings I have received from all of you in the last 10 years have inspired me to work with full determination. With your support and participation, I will continue to work with new energy for the all-round development of this place and the welfare of the people in my third term as well. ‘Jai Baba Vishwanath’!”

BJP president JP Nadda and Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Anupriya Patel and Ramdas Athawale were among the leaders who flanked Modi as he emerged from the collectorate after filing his papers.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma, NCP leader Praful Patel, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular founder Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha were present at the collectorate among others.