'Oppn Unity' Only Good for TRPs, PM Modi Will Return in 2024 with More Seats than in 2019: Shah | Rising India Summit

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday scoffed at the idea of a “united opposition” taking on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at Network18’s Rising India 2023 Summit, he said all this talk just increases TRPs.

“Chandrashekar Rao, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Congress— let’s say these four come together under the Modi vs Rest formula. Consider if Chandrashekar Rao holds a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh— what difference would it make? If Mamata Banerjee holds a rally in Telangana, will it make a difference? Or if (Akhilesh) Yadav sahab holds a meeting in Bengal, what difference will that make?” said Shah.

These parties and leaders are only fighting the BJP in their respective states, he said. “This unity has no meaning. They don’t consider each other leaders and are not willing to set aside any seats for one another,” Shah added.

The home minister also expressed confidence that Narendra Modi will become Prime Minister again in 2024 with more seats than in 2019.

“Last time when I said our seat tally in West Bengal will go up, no one agreed. But we did it. We also increased our tally in Odisha and Telangana. Our party works on the ground. And PM Modi’s aura has spread from India’s last village to its capital Delhi,” he said.

Asked about the southern states, Shah conceded that in Tamil Nadu the BJP’s organisation was weak. “We have worked in many villages and booths. Where we are weak, we have our allies,” he said.