Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday brought back the “400-paar” claim of the BJP and its allies, the assertion making it clear that the saffron camp is swatting away chatter in some circles about the possibility of the Modi juggernaut coming to a halt this summer.

Predicting a near-rout for the Congress, the main Opposition party, Modi, without naming Rahul Gandhi, said the party would get fewer seats than the MP’s age this time.

Addressing a rally at Chinsurah in Hooghly, Modi tried to contest the perception fuelled by Opposition leaders like Rahul, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal that his government would not return to power.

“Three phases of the general elections are over and polling of the fourth phase
will be held tomorrow (Monday). Considering the first three phases, let me assert that the BJP and its allies will cross the 400 mark. The slogan ‘Iss Baar, 400 Paar’ is not just a slogan but has become the sankalp (resolution) of crores of people, who have shown their unprecedented support during these phases,” said Modi at the rally, held to support the party’s candidate, Locket Chatterjee.

When the seven-phase elections began on April 19, most forecasts predicted a sweeping mandate in favour of the BJP, which had set a “400-plus” target for itself. Over the last few days, the Opposition is trying to spin a different narrative and the chatter around it has been growing.

The manner in which Modi reiterated the “400-paar” rhetoric in Bengal on Sunday made it clear that the saffron camp has decided to push it harder in the next four phases.

“This 2024 election is to elect the leadership for the country. The country’s blessings and trust are with only the BJP, the kamal (lotus, its symbol) and Modi,” said Modi.

Modi also predicted a near-rout of the Congress at the hustings.

“The Congress will get fewer seats than the age of the “Shahzade (prince),” he said, without naming Rahul Gandhi.

Born in 1970, Rahul will turn 54 in June this year.

Speaking about Trinamool, a party in power in Bengal for the past 13 years, Modi said that voting it or the Congress and the Left would be a waste.

“This election will decide the fate of the country and this state. Do not waste your vote. The TMC is not contesting in enough seats to make an impact even as an Opposition.... A vote for the Congress or the Left would also be a waste,” he said.

In the course of his speech, Modi elaborated on the welfare schemes introduced by his government since 2014 and then went on to attack both the Congress and the TMC by involving one of his pet themes, dynastic politics.

“The head of a family wants to leave behind certain things for their heirs. But who is Modi’s heir? It is the common people and I want to give them Viksit Bharat (developed India),” he said.

“On the other hand, look at the TMC and other parties. They are busy looting people and making bungalows for their heirs,” he said.

“Apart from people, I have nothing else in the world. The way the head of the family wants to leave its children something, I want to give people Viksit Bharat,” he said.

Modi then trained guns at Trinamool.

“When the BJP is working on ‘vikas’ (development), the TMC is busy with ‘gondogol o jomi dokhol (law and order problem and land grabbing)’. When Modi talks about ‘har ghar jal (drinking water supply in every household)’, the TMC says ‘har ghar bomb (bomb in every household)’,” the prime minister said.