Modi focuses on 'clean sweeps', skips mention of reduced tally

Preparing to take office for a record third consecutive term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday pledged to work with all states, regardless of the party in power, to build a developed India.

In his first speech after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Modi laid out his vision for the third term saying it would be a tenure of big decisions and key emphasis would be on uprooting corruption.

"The fight against corruption is becoming tougher by the day. Corruption is being shamelessly glorified for political interest. In our third term, the National Democratic Alliance will focus a lot on rooting out corruption of all kinds," Modi said.

Modi's speech did not refer to its reduced numbers in Parliament but focussed on the 'clean sweep' victories in assembly elections as well as Lok Sabha wins in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Modi also said that the Congress has been wiped out in several states and pointed out that the combined number of seats won by the opposition alliance was less than that of the Bharatiya Janata Party alone.

Modi's victory speech at the BJP headquarters, however, was thin on politics and heavy on the future roadmap of his government, which he noted was coming for the third consecutive time, a first in six decades.

"Our Constitution is our guiding light. I want to assure that the Centre will work with all states, irrespective of the party in power there, to work towards our resolve to make India a developed country," Modi said.

The prime minister arrived at the BJP headquarters to a rousing welcome by hundreds of supporters who chanted 'Modi, Modi'.

He was greeted by BJP President J P Nadda and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah on the dais.

The backdrop on the stage had 'Dhanyawad Bharat' written in various languages, including Urdu.

Modi began his speech with 'Jai Jagannath' and thanked the people of Odisha for giving BJP a clear mandate for the first time.

He also thanked Telugu Desam Party supremo Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar -- his NDA allies -- for the electoral successes in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

The spirit of 'nation first' has pushed his government to take extraordinary decision and will make India 'aatmanirbhar', the prime minister said.

Noting that this was the first election after his mother passed away in 2022, Modi said it was an emotional moment for him but crores of women in the country did not let him feel her absence and showered him with their blessings.

Their turnout in the polls has broken all records, he said.

He asserted that his government will continue with its women-centric development model and create new avenues for youngsters, highlighting its efforts to boost the number of medical colleges and various steps in other sectors.

He said the future belongs to the 'green era' and pledged to increase investment in the green economy.

From climate change to food security, India has taken a responsibility to work on all global issues and has become a part of global solutions.

"A strong India will be a strong pillar of a strong world," he said.

Admired by his supporters for maintaining a punishing work schedule, Modi told people that if they work for 10 hours, he will work for 18 hours and if they take two steps, he will take four.

"If we work together, India will write a fresh chapter of big decisions. This is Modi's guarantee," he said, asserting that the NDA has worked to develop all regions and all sections of society.

In the last 10 years, the country has taken many big decisions, be it running the world's biggest welfare scheme, providing piped water to 12 crore people, building four crore houses for the poor and launching major reforms in a host of sectors.