Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday cited poll data for assembly elections over the decades to assert that the Bharatiya Janata Party has become people's most preferred choice for governance as its record of retaining power is better than the Congress and other parties.
Speaking at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, he said the BJP's better show in state polls give the lie to the claim that it is strong at the national level but not in states.
Modi also said that not any particular leader but "team spirit and collective strength" should be credited for the party's big win in the recent assembly polls, noting that besides winning in three states, the party's strength has doubled in Mizoram and grown many times in Telangana, according to sources.
The prime minister also asked party leaders to use the simple language preferred by the masses in their interaction with them and avoid honorifics. While giving an example, he said they should use "Modi ki guarantee" instead of "Modi ji ki guarantee".
"I am just a small worker of the BJP and nothing else," he said.
Quoting Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters that the Congress faced assembly polls 40 times while in power in those states and could win only seven of them, having a dismal success rate of 18 per cent.
The corresponding figures for the BJP are 22 out of 39 times, a success rate of 56 per cent, Modi noted, citing an analysis.
Regional parties have fared better than the Congress but not the BJP as they won 18 of 36 times when in power, notching up a success rate of 50 per cent.
It is a big thing that there is positivity and no anti-incumbency among people about our party's governments, the prime minister said.
WATCH: Modi gets a standing ovation at BJP Parliamentary Party meeting
Among 'aspirational districts', a term for places lagging on development parameters, the BJP has won 55-60 seats instead of the 15-18 it used to earlier, he said, asserting that the party has delivered good governance and improved delivery instead of distributing revdis (freebies).
The analysis shows that the BJP is the most preferred party for running the government, he said. "People like the BJP's governance, decision-making and transparency," he said.
In the case of a party in power in a state for two terms facing assembly elections, the Congress's success rate is only 14 per cent compared to the BJP's 59 per cent, he added. In a state like Gujarat, the BJP has won seven successive times, he noted.
The analysis shows that our policies are right as well as the direction, he said.
People like the alternative model based on the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' presented by the BJP for the country and the world as well, Modi said.
The prime minister reiterated that the four biggest "castes" for him are the poor, youth, women and farmers, and party leaders should work for their development. All four "castes" should speak against any attempt to divide, he said, asking the MPs to take the message to them.
He asked MPs to participate in "Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra", a government exercise aimed at saturation coverage of various welfare schemes. Modi especially mentioned Vishwakarma Yojana, a welfare scheme for artisans, and Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) in this regard.
He later wrote on X, "Earlier today, attended the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting. Our party karyakartas are buoyed by the party's performance in the recent assembly elections and are looking forward to working even harder in the times to come, spreading the message of development among people of all walks of life."
"We will continue to fulfil people's aspirations and empower the poorest, downtrodden and marginalised," he added.
Earlier, Modi was given a standing ovation at the meeting following the party's stupendous win in three assembly polls.
Party MPs raised slogans lauding his leadership as senior leaders, including BJP president J P Nadda, felicitated Modi at the first meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party in Parliament's winter session.
The BJP scored a thumping win over the Congress in the assembly polls in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Modi's leadership has been cited as the primary reason for its big win. Even as the Congress snatched power from the BRS in Telangana, the BJP's vote share and tally rose.
The BJP Parliamentary Party, which includes all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, generally meets every week during sessions.
In the meetings, its leaders, including Modi, speak on different issues relevant to the agenda in Parliament and also to its organisational and political campaigns.
