The BJP has invited at least 25 political parties from different countries including from neighbouring Bangladesh and Nepal to send their representatives to 'observe' the largest exercise in the world’s largest democracy.
Some of these parties -- about a dozen - have so far confirmed their visits to India. From the west, the Lotus party has invited the Conservative and Labour parties of the United Kingdom, and the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats of Germany.
From Bangladesh, the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League has been extended the invitation while no such invites have been sent to Pakistan or China. More political parties spread across several countries will be also invited in days to come.
From Sri Lanka and Nepal, a number of prominent political parties including the Maoists from Nepal have been invited by the Lotus party -- which also takes pride in calling itself the world's largest political party.
Significantly, neither of the two US parties – the ruling Democrats and the Opposition Republicans – have been invited. One reason could be the ensuing Presidential elections in America.
The political parties' delegations from various countries are likely to start visit various parts of India during the third or fourth phase of the elections scheduled in May.
Some delegation leaders will also be facilitated to oversee election campaign in the constituency on ground zero and also attend important rallies to be addressed by BJP chief J P Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The first round of voting will take place on April 19 and the seventh and the last on June 1. The counting of votes will be on June 4th.
Prime Minister Modi is seeking re-election to the high post and if he returns to power, it will be a record because so far only Jawaharlal Nehru was elected three times consecutively.
Modi first led BJP to victory in 2014 and the success tale was repeated in 2019.
The party’s move to invite overseas political parties is linked to it 'KNOW BJP' initiative aimed at external outreach.
Over 60 heads of mission from various countries have met the BJP president J P Nadda during last several months as part of this initiative.
BJP delegations have also visited several countries. Nepal leader Prachanda was also invited to the BJP headquarters.
In recent months there have been moments of India’s friction with Canada after the killing of a Khalistan separatist there, and also with Germany and the US following the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, apart from tensions with some global media organisations from the UK and the US.
Of course, sources say these factors are not quite the factors or reasons for reaching out to political parties abroad.
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress and the INDIA bloc while sounding a warning bell, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that action against corruption will speed up in the third term of his government at the Centre.
Addressing a rally in Maoist-hit Balaghat Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said that frustrated with the action against corruption, leaders of the INDIA bloc have been abusing him.
"The INDIA bloc is abusing and threatening me. But, I have decided to continue the action against corruption. In the next five years, Modi's operation against corruption will pick speed," PM Modi said.
PM Modi said the Opposition is getting united and protesting against operations being carried out against corruption.
"I assure that every single penny looted from the people of this country will be recovered. The action against corruption will go on with more speed in the third term," he said.
PM Modi further added that he would need the support of the people for the action against corruption. The Prime Minister also appealed to the people of Balaghat to vote for BJP candidate Bharti Pardhi as her election as Lok Sabha MP will empower him more.
The BJP has replaced its sitting Lok Sabha MP Dhal Singh Bisen and has fielded a fresh candidate – Bharti Pardhi from the Balaghat seat against Congress' Samrat Saraswat.
Balaghat Lok Sabha seat has been a stronghold of the Congress and Independents from 1952 to 1996.
However, the BJP wrested the seat from Congress in 1998 and since then, the party has been retaining it by winning it for six consecutive terms, including in 2019.
Modi also slammed the opposition INDIA alliance saying its constituents were working to protect the corrupt and abusing and threatening him to stop the country's development.
Modi said the upcoming Lok Sabha election was a mission for building a new India and sought the people's blessings to take big and historic decisions in the ruling NDA's third term.
He said the "sea of saffron" gathered to hear him shows what the poll results will be on June 4.
Modi said leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc were abusing and threatening him to stop the country's development.
“When Modi gives a guarantee of the country’s security, they abuse me. When Modi fulfills the guarantee of abrogating Article 370 (which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir), they start talking in the language of Pakistan,” he said.
"We have to take the rocket of development much higher," he said.
“Modi bows either before Lord Mahakal or before the public and for the development of the country and its service, I have also learnt to tolerate abuses,” he said.
Modi also said that the opposition leaders abused him when he fulfilled the guarantee of consecration of Lord Ram's idol at the Ayodhya temple.
In reference to President Draupadi Murmu, Modi said the Congress conspired to defeat the first tribal woman president of India. He asked the people to vote in large numbers and break all the polling records.
Polling in Balaghat will be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls in MP on April 19.
ends
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