Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Monday thanked the people of Varanasi for re-electing him from the constituency in the Lok Sabha elections 2019 while adding that there was a rise in political untouchability against the BJP.

Speaking to party leaders and workers in Varanasi’s Deen Dayal Sankalp hall, the PM also raised the issue of political violence during the elections, especially in West Bengal, and expressed concern over the rise of political ostracism.

“Many of our workers were killed due to their political ideology. Political untouchability is rising in our country every day. In many places, taking the name of BJP creates an environment of untouchability against us,” the PM said.

Slamming political pundits for saying that the BJP is a party of the Hindi-heartland, the PM said that the saffron party has the highest number of seats in Karnataka and has been in power in Goa for a long time and is ruling the entire northeast.

“We have the most number of seats in Karnataka still we are Hindi heartland party? We are running Govt for years in Goa, the whole northeast, Assam, Ladakh everywhere we are governing or winning, still Hindi heartland?” he said.

In an indirect reference to the Congress, he said those who give the mantra of ‘ekta’ (unity) and project themselves as ‘ekta ke thekedaar’ (keepers of unity) should dwell on what is happening in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. (Telengana was created after bifurcating Andhra Pradesh during the UPA rule.)

“They should compare these states with Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh, which were created from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. (Created during the NDA regime.),” he said,

Thanking the workers, the PM said that he was not worried about the outcome because of the belief of the people and the hardwork of the workers.

“There was hardly anyone as relaxed during the elections as I was. I was not worried because of your hardwork and the belief of the people of Kashi. I was relaxed both during the elections and on the day of the results, and happily sat at the feet of Baba Kedarnath,” he said, referring to his visit to Kedarnath a day after the end of polling for the 17th Lok Sabha.

He said that India has proved that there is no alternative to transparency and hardwork.

“Transparency and hardwork can defeat all perception. India has proved it today that there is no alternative to transparency and hardwork,” he said.

The PM asserted that the BJP is the party that believes in the idea of democracy.

“Even when we are in power, we worry for democracy the most. Wherever we got a chance, we gave importance to the voice of Opposition even if the lack of people’s faith in them reduced their numbers,” he said.

Recalling the victories of the party in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2017 Assembly elections, the PM said that the “hat-trick” is not a small achievement.

The PM said that the results of the three elections will make even the political analysts will have to agree that there is a “chemistry” that works ahead of “arithmetic”.

“The chemistry in the unity of society, ideals and commitment can often defeat all calculations,” the PM said.

He commended party workers for believing that elections are a festival of connecting people, working for them and bringing them together, and not measuring it on the scale of victory or defeat.

At the same time, he spoke about his government’s efforts to maintain the country’s rich heritage while simultaneously working towards a modern vision. He wondered why till date Deepawali was not celebrated with grandeur in Ayodhya or the Kumbh Mela was looked upon merely as a congregation of Naga Sadhus.

The PM also said that the poor in the village of Uttar Pradesh think of the good of the country and work for it.

PM Modi arrived in Varanasi earlier today. Before addressing workers, the PM offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple along with BJP chief Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The BJP won 303 parliamentary seats of the 452 for which elections were held. The NDA won a total of 353. In Uttar Pradesh alone, the BJP won 62 of 80 seats, keeping the SP-BSP-RLD alliance at bay.