Congress used alliances in 1990s to bring instability: PM Modi at NDA meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led opposition parties, saying India has a long tradition of coalitions, but those formed with negativity have never succeeded. Addressing the meeting of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Prime Minister Modi said Congress used coalitions in the 1990s to destabilise the country by forming governments and then pulling them down. On the other hand, he said, the NDA was formed to bring stability and not to topple any government.

"Congress used alliances in the 90s to bring instability in the country. Congress formed governments and also destroyed them. During this time, in 1998, NDA was formed. Why was NDA formed? To gain power? NDA was not formed to throw any government out of power but to bring stability to the country," Modi said.

“Even when we were in the opposition, we always did positive politics. In opposition, we brought out scams of the then governments but never insulted the mandate of the people. We never took the help of foreign powers against the ruling governments. We never created hurdles in development schemes meant for the country,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi asserted that the NDA is not a coalition of compulsion but symbolises contribution.

“Hamare liye gathbandhan majboori nahi majbooti ka madhyam hai. NDA is not the symbol of coalition and compulsion but the symbol of coalition and contribution. In NDA, no party is small or big. We all are walking together towards the same goal,” he said.

He said the NDA recently completed 25 years - a period of giving speed to the country's progress and fulfilling regional aspirations.

"NDA is a beautiful rainbow of regional aspirations... So nation's development through the development of states... At a time when we are working for a developed India, NDA is taking the lead in showing the spirit of 'sabka prayas'," he said.

Thirty-eight parties are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and as their leaders reached the venue earlier, they were welcomed with flower bouquets and stoles amid dhol beats.

Prime Minister Modi was welcomed by BJP president J P Nadda, Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha leader Jitan Ram Manjhi.

At the venue, the prime minister greeted and met NDA leaders.

Modi hugged LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan after the latter greeted him and touched his feet.

During a group photo session, rebel NCP leader Ajit Pawar, Shinde, and Palaniswami stood in the front row with Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. They also sat in the same row at the meeting.