After the landslide victory in Lok Sabha polls, Narendra Modi arrived in the national capital today to a rousing welcome by thousands of enthusiastic BJP workers and supporters to whom he gave credit for the historic achievement.
The Prime Minister-elect waved victory sign to the cheering crowds of supporters wearing saffron caps and showing BJP flags as he undertook a roadshow from Indira Gandhi International Airport to the party headquarters at Ashoka Road, a distance of about 16 kms.
He was received at the airport by a number of senior BJP leaders, including party chief Rajnath Singh.
Escorted by elite commandos, Modi was greeted by supporters at various places along the route from the airport to the party headquarters at Ashoka Road. BJP workers on motorcycles waving party flags were part of the roadshow.
On reaching the BJP headquarters, he briefly addressed the supporters, saying he was thankful to them for rekindling “new hope” through their hard work.
“As a person, Modi requests all of you, don’t give credit for this victory to Modi. It is a result of hard work of lakhs of workers. This victory belongs to those four-five generations who have toiled hard since 1952,” he said.
“The first right of credit for this victory goes to 125 crore Indians and second to those martyred since 1952. In the last 25 years, thousands of our workers were killed in states like Kerala and those who gave up their lives in Tamil Nadu,” Modi said. Later, addressing the media, BJP chief Rajnath Singh said the BJP Parliamentary Party will meet on May 20 to formally elect Narendra Modi as its leader, a formality before his anointment as Prime Minister.
This was decided a meeting of the Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party chaired by BJP chief Rajnath Singh and attended by Modi, L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and other top leaders.
Rajnath Singh said the NDA allies will also be invited for a meeting on the same day.
Dismissing media speculation, he said no date has been fixed for swearing-in of Modi as the Prime Minister. It will be decided after the Parliamentary Party meeting.
