Modi, Yogi Are ‘Sons of the Soil’, Not Princes, Says Nitin Nabin, Slams Opposition

GORAKHPUR, Nov 4: BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on opposition parties, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath represented the aspirations of ordinary Indians and would lead the country, unlike what he described as political heirs or “so called princes”.

Addressing the NDA’s ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ campaign in Gorakhpur, attended by leaders of alliance partners Nishad Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Nabin accused opposition parties of questioning electoral processes instead of accepting their defeats and addressing organisational shortcomings.

Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Nabin described him as a “part-time politician” who becomes active during election campaigns, contrasting his approach with BJP workers, whom he said remained engaged in public service throughout the year. He also criticised Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, referring to them as political successors who had failed to win the confidence of young voters.

“Indian democracy is strong enough to withstand however many so called princes emerge. It is the sons of this soil, Modi and Adityanath, who will lead the country,” Nabin said, claiming that both leaders enjoyed widespread public support and had worked for the welfare of 140 crore Indians.

Referring to the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally in Delhi, the BJP president claimed that the gathering fell significantly short of the attendance projected by its organisers. He said the BJP and its NDA partners, meanwhile, were conducting marches across districts and towns, reflecting what he described as growing public support for the alliance.

Nabin maintained that Gandhi could continue making allegations, but the country had undergone considerable transformation under Modi’s leadership. He described the prime minister as a “chowkidar” committed to protecting citizens, their families and the nation.

On the opposition’s criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Nabin accused rival parties of using the exercise to explain their electoral setbacks. He questioned why they had suffered defeats in earlier elections, including those held before 2025, when the present revision exercise was not underway.

He also referred to the Election Commission’s challenge to Gandhi to demonstrate his allegations of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) manipulation at a venue of his choice. Nabin claimed that the Congress leader had failed to accept the challenge. Referring to the Bihar elections, he alleged that Gandhi had withdrawn from the political contest after the publication of electoral rolls.

Questioning the opposition’s claims that nearly 13 crore names had been deleted from voter lists, Nabin cited figures which he said included 2.5 crore entries relating to deceased voters and approximately six crore people who had shifted from their registered addresses. He further claimed that over three crore individuals could not be contacted for address verification.

The BJP leader also alleged that around three crore infiltrators were included in the electoral rolls and accused opposition parties of attempting to protect such entries for political benefit. These claims were part of his defence of the revision exercise.

Taking aim at Tejashwi Yadav, Nabin called him the “prince of Bihar” and said young voters were increasingly rejecting dynastic politics. He also invoked Adityanath’s comparison of Gandhi with a failed rocket, adding that both the rocket and its launching pad were faulty, resulting in repeated electoral failures.

Nabin accused opposition leaders of questioning the Election Commission and alleging EVM irregularities whenever election results went against them. He said parties should introspect rather than undermine democratic institutions.

Attacking the Congress over its record on poverty alleviation, Nabin alleged that the party had failed to fulfil its promises and had kept disadvantaged sections away from development. He credited the Modi government and the Adityanath administration with accelerating development and improving conditions in the country and Uttar Pradesh.

He also accused the Congress of disrespecting constitutional institutions, referring to the Allahabad High Court’s judgment against former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s election and alleging that the party subsequently changed laws to nullify its effect.

Nabin further accused the Nehru-Gandhi family of working against B R Ambedkar’s electoral success, questioning the Congress’s present attempts to portray itself as a defender of the Constitution.

“Today, they carry copies of the Constitution and lecture others about it,” he said.

The BJP president also criticised Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav over their alleged conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that they remained indoors while BJP workers helped people in need. He alleged that opposition leaders had initially opposed the COVID-19 vaccine developed during the Modi government but later accepted it.

Warning against what he described as attempts to weaken the country, Nabin said India’s democratic foundations were strong and such efforts would not succeed.

He questioned the opposition’s consistency in assessing democratic institutions, pointing out that its leaders accepted election results in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka but raised doubts over the process after defeats in Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar.

Nabin also claimed that Congress leaders were dissatisfied with Gandhi’s leadership but lacked the courage to challenge the influence of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

“If Rahul Gandhi continues to lead the party in this manner, I congratulate the Congress. A time may come when there will be nobody left even to take the party’s name,” he remarked.

Accusing Gandhi of being part of what he called a “foreign toolkit” aimed at destabilising India, Nabin said the opposition was attempting to challenge the people’s mandate. He claimed that more than 100 BJP-NDA marches had been organised across Uttar Pradesh to demonstrate the alliance’s strength.

Concluding his attack, Nabin questioned the opposition’s moral authority to criticise Modi, citing development initiatives in Amethi and Kerala. He said the prime minister had served the country with dedication for 25 years and challenged opposition leaders to assess their own record before questioning his leadership.