NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that genuine emotional commitment to public welfare is what helps in winning elections.Speaking at the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture in New Delhi, he said that leaders must work with genuine emotion rather than remain in a permanent political campaign.PM Modi dismissed claims that he and the BJP operate in a “24×7 election mode”, saying the party wins because it is driven by an emotional commitment to public welfare. “After winning the Bihar election, some people, including some Modi admirers in the media, have once again started saying that the BJP and Modi always remain in a 24×7 election mode. I believe that to win elections, being in election mode is not necessary; what is necessary is to remain in an emotional mode 24×7,” he said.He added that governance must be rooted in empathy and urgency. “When there is restlessness within the heart then not even a single minute should be wasted and one must keep working to reduce the hardships of the poor, to provide employment to the poor, to give healthcare to the poor, to fulfil the aspirations of the middle class. One should work tirelessly.” According to him, such emotion ensures that “the results become visible on the day of the elections,” a lesson he said was evident in the Bihar mandate. PM Modi said that the Bihar results underline the public’s rising expectations. “The results of the Bihar elections have once again taught a lesson on the high aspirations and ambitions of the people of India. The people of India today trust those political parties who have good intentions and fulfil the aspirations of the people and prioritise development,” he said.He urged states to treat development as their primary responsibility and engage in healthy competition. “I strongly encourage state governments to foster a spirit of healthy competition by attracting investments and promoting growth. Organising competitions to improve the ease of doing business could be a great step in this direction,” PM Modi said.The Prime Minister also framed India’s economic resilience as a source of global optimism. “Our GDP is growing at nearly seven per cent despite global instabilities; India is not just an emerging market but an emerging model too,” he said, adding that “India is restless to become a developed nation”.
