'Lage Raho': PM Modi's Message to BJP's 7 Delhi MPs in First Formal Meeting after Lok Sabha Poll Sweep

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met all seven newly elected Members of Parliament from the national capital and discussed a wide range of issues. The Bharatiya Janata Party won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi during the April-June general elections.

It was a moment of great excitement for the lawmakers to meet the Prime Minister after the poll win. Barring Manoj Tiwari, the other six MPs are first-time entrants to the Lok Sabha.

“It was truly exciting and overwhelming at the same time to meet Prime Minister Modi. While many of us were feeling a little nervous, the Prime Minister, despite his towering personality, made us feel completely at ease,” one of the newbie lawmakers told CNN-News18.

The meeting at the PM’s office in Parliament lasted around 15 minutes. “Interestingly, the conversation began with Prime Minister Modi asking each of us about our experience so far,” another MP said.

The parliamentarians present said they were extremely happy to be representatives of the people as part of the government, which had created history by coming to power for the third time in a row, a record in itself.

Some of them even narrated their experience of coming to Parliament and how it was a great learning platform.

The Prime Minister is said to have patiently heard each one’s excitement on how their journey has been so far.

As the MPs were about to leave after the meeting, the PM said something very interesting. “He told us, ‘lage raho’, which essentially means continue learning and working for the people,” said one of the MPs, adding that it was a very motivating message.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had made major changes to its list of candidates from Delhi. Manoj Tiwari was the only incumbent MP who was allowed to recontest and he won a repeat third term.

For the rest, this was their debut poll. Late union minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter Bansuri Swaraj contested from the prestigious New Delhi constituency, replacing Meenakshi Lekhi. Ramesh Bidhuri was replaced by Ramvir Bidhuri from south Delhi. Harsh Malhotra, who contested in place of Gautam Gambhir from east Delhi, is a minister of state in Narendra Modi’s team.