PM Modi has laid strong foundation for 'Viksit Bharat': BJP's Ashok Tanwar

A strong foundation for a 'Viksit Bharat' or developed India has been laid under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leader and party's Sirsa Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Tanwar said.

Tanwar, who quit the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party two months ago, said it is "Modi ji's guarantee" that India will soon become the world's third largest and reach the top spot in the years to come.

He said the people of the country want to give a third term to Modi as the prime minister and the people of Haryana also want to contribute by giving all the 10 seats to the BJP like they did in the 2019 parliamentary election.

Tanwar had quit the Congress in 2019 and joined the AAP in 2022. In between, he had floated his own party and even joined the Trinamool Congress for a brief period.

The BJP has fielded Tanwar from the Sirsa Lok Sabha seat from where he is a former MP. The seat is presently represented by BJP's Sunita Duggal.

Tanwar said a strong foundation for a 'Viksit Bharat' has been laid under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.

During the past 10 years, the country has witnessed development at a fast pace in various fields, Tanwar told PTI.

The NDA government at the Centre and the BJP-led government in Haryana took several steps to empower various sections, including women, he said.

So many projects of public welfare, especially benefitting the poor, weaker sections and farmers, have been undertaken by both governments, he said.

There is a lot of thrust on infrastructure development which helps accelerate growth and generate employment as well, he said.

Training guns on the Congress in Haryana, Tanwar said, "The opposition is running away from a contest. They know whosoever enters the fray will lose badly. We are confident that Haryana will once again contribute all the 10 seats to achieve the target of 400 plus seats for the NDA".

On the Congress' claims that no development took place in Haryana during the nine-and-half-year rule of the BJP-led government, Tanwar said had that been the case, the people would not have kept Congress out of power for a long period.

Asked if he was expecting a BJP ticket before leaving the AAP, Tanwar said he had joined the saffron party "unconditionally".

Tanwar said as a disciplined soldier of the party, he was ready to accept any responsibility entrusted to him by the BJP.

"This party is karyakarta-centric party, a cadre-based party and doesn't believe in 'parivarvaad'," he said.

"This is a party which does not stick to one family or one person. In this party, disciplined soldiers are prepared and later they are given various responsibilities," he said.

Tanwar said, "Not even once did the party let me feel that I was a newcomer. Right from the top leadership, everyone has been supportive. The chain of command is clear here -- work collectively and achieve the target."

Polling in Haryana's 10 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the sixth phase of the seven-phase elections on May 25. Assembly polls in the state are due later this year.