Union minister Rajnath Singh on Friday exuded confidence about the BJP-led NDA achieving the target of more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls and said people's aspirations are now linked with the nation's growing stature and not with any party or person.
Speaking at the 'Shikhar Sammelan' hosted by the ABP News, he said the NDA will "sweep the polls in Bihar" and throw up "startling results" in Maharashtra in the forthcoming elections.
The defence minister was asked about the arithmetic behind the saffron party's assessment as to how will the NDA cross the figure of 400 in the high-stakes general elections which will take place in seven phases starting April 19.
The ruling BJP is fighting this election with its slogan 'Abki Baar 400 Paar' (NDA winning more than 400 Lok Sabha seats) and as campaigns get shriller, the pitch of the slogan has got louder, with several sitting MPs, and Union ministers claiming that the alliance powered by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will breach the tally.
"People today realise that India's stature has grown in the international community. When India speaks at global fora today, people listen. This change has come, and I will credit this to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Singh said.
Asked how the BJP-led alliance will fare in southern states, the senior leader said he was optimistic that the performance will be better than 2019.
On Bihar, which has 40 Lok Sabha seats, he said, "I feel, we will sweep Bihar".
Asked about the prospects in Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 parliamentary constituencies, he said, it cannot be ruled out that "we will win all seats there," adding, there could be one or two seats where results may differ.
In West Bengal "we will win 1.5 times" the number of seats "we won" in the last elections, so about 27 seats is the projection, he added.
Asked what gives them the projection of 400 seats or beyond, Singh said, "The kind of environment that is there... The aspirations of people at this time, they are not looking at any political party or any person, but rather who will take the country forward, who is taking the country forward. On this basis, (people) will decide whom to vote."
The Union minister underlined that earlier, people had voted based on caste, creed or religion, but this psyche of the electorate has "reduced significantly".
"People right now are not watching political parties. People are now watching the growing stature of India, and they are assured that if anyone can do this (take the country ahead), it is PM Modi," Singh asserted.
The BJP and its leadership have been "successful" in garnering the trust and credibility of the people, he said.
