"Political earthquake" expected in six months of LS poll results: PM Modi

Kakdwip (West Bengal) [India], May 29 : Launching an attack against the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that a huge "political earthquake" is expected within six months after the results of Lok Sabha elections are declared on June 4.
The remarks were apparently targeted at the INDIA bloc, which is a coalition of over 20 opposition parties.
Addressing a public meeting in Kakdwip town of West Bengal, PM Modi said, "Your one vote will help to change the political direction of the nation. In the next six months, after June 4, a major political earthquake will take place in the country. Political parties which thrive on dynastic politics will disintegrate on their own."
Prime Minister Modi, who addressed a series of rallies on Wednesday, made similar remarks during his rally in Kendrapara, Odisha.
PM Modi said the country will see a "big storm" in politics with "disintegration" of the "family parties" as disappointment is brewing in their workers about the leaders who have "failed repeatedly."
"In the 6 months after June 4, the country will catch a new pace of development. Apart from this, these 6 months are also going to bring a big storm in politics. Disappointment is at its peak among the workers of all the family parties. On their own people are questioning the family leaders who have failed repeatedly. Therefore, in the next 6 months, we will see a new disintegration in the family parties," the Prime Minister said.
During his address in West Bengal, PM Modi accused the Trinamool Congress-led government in West Bengal of opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for political gain and said Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wanted to settle infiltrators in the state.
He also attacked TMC for granting OBC certificates to the Muslim community.
"Your one vote will end the misrule of TMC. We will begin the journey of Viksit and Surakshit Bengal. Today, infiltrators are grabbing the opportunities meant for the youth of Bengal. The whole nation is worried that the demography has changed in border areas of the state. Why did they protest against CAA? Because they want to settle the infiltrators here," PM Modi said.
He said, "For appeasement, TMC is attacking the Constitution. Our Constitution provides reservations for the marginalized sections of society. TMC overnight granted OBC status to the entire Muslim community, thereby transferring the reservations meant for SCs, STs, and OBCs to Muslims. Calcutta High Court has cancelled these certificates. TMC cannot go against the Court orders, yet is willing to lie to the Muslims for the sake of appeasement."
Later in the day, the Prime Minister held public meetings in Odisha. In a major statement, he said that after BJP comes to power in the state, it would inquire into the reason behind the BJD chief's deteriorating health.
This came after a video of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik went viral in which CM's close aide and BJD leader VK Pandian grabbled his trembling hand during an election rally.
Addressing a public gathering in Mayurbhanj, Odisha, PM Modi said, "Nowadays all the well-wishers of Naveen Babu are very worried. I am very worried to see how Naveen Babu's health has deteriorated so much in the last year. Over the years, whenever people close to Naveen Babu meet me, they discuss Naveen Babu's health. They tell me that Naveen Babu is no longer able to do anything on his own. People who have been close to Naveen Babu for a long time believe that there could be a conspiracy behind his deteriorating health."
The Prime Minister also questioned whether there was a conspiracy behind Patnaik's deteriorating health.
"The question is, is there any conspiracy behind Naveen Babu's ill health? This is the right of the people of Odisha to know. Is there any involvement of that lobby in this which is enjoying power in Odisha behind the scenes in the name of Naveen Babu? It is important to uncover this mystery. Therefore, after the formation of the BJP government in Odisha on June 10, our government will form a special committee and will investigate why Naveen Babu's health is suddenly deteriorating," he said.
In a separate rally in Balasore, PM Modi lambasted BJD for "betraying" the people in the name of development. He also said that Odisha is poor because the BJD has been "looting the state for 25 years."
"You (people) gave 25 years to BJD, but they betrayed you in the name of development... Odisha is poor because earlier, the Congress leaders looted the state, and then for 25 years, BJD has been looting it," PM Modi said.
He added, "This time, people are thinking that if they cast their vote in favour of the BJD candidate, their vote will be wasted. And now, the people of Odisha don't want their votes to get wasted. People say that they will vote for the one whose government is being formed in Delhi."
The assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Odisha are taking place simultaneously, in four phases, from May 13 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won 112 out of 146 seats. BJP won 23 seats and Congress got nine seats.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJD mopped up the lion's share of the electoral spoils, with the BJP and the Congress following behind. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8, and the Congress bagged just a lone seat.
Meanwhile, the 42 seats of West Bengal are being polled across seven phases.
In 2019, the BJP made strong inroads in the state, taking its tally to 18 against TMC's 22. BJP is aiming to further improve its performance, while the TMC is aiming to stop it from inflicting further damage to its stronghold.