The Lok Sabha elections will be a battle of two ideologies, BJP president Amit Shah said Friday, asserting his party stands for cultural nationalism and development of poor, while the rivals have come together merely for power.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national council began today to discuss preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the backdrop of defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh assembly polls.

The conclave began with Shah’s speech. It will conclude with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pep talk tomorrow.

Here are the highlights:

8:26 pm IST Because of our PM’s strong will everyone has a bank account today: Sushma Swaraj When we came to power in 2014, 1/3 of population didn’t have bank account.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi noticed it,he ordered banks to go to people and open a zero balance bank account. It’s because of our Prime Minister’s strong will that everyone has a bank account today, says External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.





8:24 pm IST Measures include 10 % reservation for economically weak in general category The measures under the resolution include 10 % reservation for the economically weak in the general category. Electrification, Ujjwala scheme, food security, Ayushmaan Bharat, Jandhan Yojana happened to be the other schemes that were highlighted.





8:21 pm IST BJP moves a second resolution on the welfare of the poor The BJP moves a second resolution on the welfare of the poor.





8:15 pm IST BJP passes agriculture resolution at party’s National Executive Council Meet BJP passes the agriculture resolution at the party’s National Executive Council Meet.





7:59 pm IST Farmers have contributed a lot towards nation’s growth: Rajnath Singh Farmers have contributed a lot towards the nation’s growth, says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.





7:38 pm IST Grand alliance of opposition parties brought together by their greed of power: Shah The proposed grand alliance of opposition parties are a desparate group with neither a leader nor any policy and have been brought together by their greed of power, says Amit Shah.





7:15 pm IST PM Modi left no stone unturned to nail corruption: Amit Shah Prime Minister Narendra Modi left no stone unturned to nail corruption, says BJP chief Amit Shah.





6:39 pm IST 40 lakh migrants identified under NRC system: Amit Shah NRC is a system to identify illegal migrants in India. In Assam alone, 40 lakh such migrants were identified in the first stage, says Shah.





6:37 pm IST We brought a sea change in the country: Amit Shah From Triple Talaq to Haj subsidy, GST to demonetisation, we brought a sea change in the country, says Amit Shah.





6:32 pm IST Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Jains were harassed in neighbouring countries: Shah Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Jains were harassed in neighbouring countries and were treated as infiltrators here, says Amit Shah.





6:27 pm IST All the charges were raised without any proof: Amit Shah All the charges were raised without any proof. Our Defence Minister gave a befitting reply to the opposition in the Parliament, says Amit Shah.





6:22 pm IST Rahul and company not concerned about national security: Shah Rahul and company created a hue and cry on Citizenship Bill because they are not concerned about the national security. They only want votes. Their policies were paralysed, says BJP chief Amit Shah.





6:17 pm IST We are duty bound to build the temple: Amit Shah The BJP wants Ram Mandir at the same spot. We are duty bound to build the temple and still are. It is the Congress that is causing hurdles in the process. But we are trying to expedite the case which is currently tabled in the Supreme Court, says Amit Shah.





5:32 pm IST BJP wants Ram Mandir to be constructed at the earliest: Shah BJP wants Ram Mandir to be constructed at the earliest. We are trying in the Supreme Court that the case reaches its conclusion but Congress here also is trying to create obstacles.





5:29 pm IST This Chowkidar will not spare any thief: Amit Shah I want to assure the people of this country that this Chowkidar will not spare any thief. We have such effective laws that we will catch and bring them back, says Amit Shah.





5:28 pm IST 2019 is a decisive battle for BJP: Amit Shah 2019 is a decisive battle for BJP. Marathas won 131 battles but lost one in Panipat and had to go through 200 years of slavery, says Amit Shah.





5:24 pm IST Rahul Gandhi making allegations of corruption in Rafale deal without any proof: Shah Out on bail in corruption case, Rahul Gandhi levelling baseless allegations of graft against Modi government; people are wiser than him. Rahul Gandhi making allegations of corruption in Rafale deal without any proof, says Amit Shah.





5:23 pm IST Want Ram temple by constitutional path: Amit Shah Ayodhya case is going on in Supreme Court. We want the case to end as soon as possible. BJP wants grand Ram temple at that spot. Congress leader Kapil Sibbal tried to delay the case. We want Ram temple by constitutional path, says Amit Shah.





5:20 pm IST Country was unsafe under the previous regime: Amit Shah We have avenged the Uri attacks with surgical strikes. We have countered bullets with bullets and terror attacks have reduced under the Modi government. The country was unsafe under the previous regime, says Amit Shah.





5:19 pm IST Amit Shah accuses Congress of leading the country to corruption Congress gave loans to Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. All of them felt secured during their regime, which is why, they only left the country after the Modi government came to power, says Amit Shah.





5:17 pm IST Each citizen of India will be provided with a permanent house by 2022: Shah Each citizen of India will be provided with a permanent house by 2022. We implemented the OROP to the Defence forces and as many as fifty crore Indians have already been benefited by the Modi government’s Ayushman Bharat project, says Amit Shah.





5:14 pm IST Government has built over 9 million toilets: Amit Shah In the last four and a half years, the government gave the women of this country the right to live with honour without shame by building over nine million toilets, says Amit Shah.





5:12 pm IST India has joined US and Israel which are expert at surgical strikes: Shah There were only two countries which were expert at surgical strikes- US and Israel. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, we have joined them, says Amit Shah.





5:10 pm IST Till 2014, 60 crore people did not even have bank accounts: Amit Shah Those who are roaming around under the umbrella of mahagathbandhan, what did they do for the last 55 years. Till 2014, 60 crore people did not even have bank accounts. PM Modi gave then bank accounts, gas cylinders, toilets, etc. in only four and a half years, says Amit Shah.





5:06 pm IST Modi government has worked to ensure the security of the country: Shah The Narendra Modi government honoured the soldiers by giving ‘one rank, one pension’. Modi government has worked to ensure the security of the country, says Amit Shah.





5:05 pm IST Security of our country is important: Shah We have done a lot of work for the welfare of the poor. The security of our country is also important. Before 2014, the soldiers of the country were killed, every other day infiltration was reported. We had taken over the country under these circumstances, says Amit Shah.





5:03 pm IST Impossible to remove PM Modi: Amit Shah Once upon a time, it was the Congress versus all. But, now, it is the BJP versus everybody else, why? It is because they know that removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi is impossible. This is an acceptance of Modi’s might, says Amit Shah.





5:00 pm IST PM Narendra Modi is now nucleus of politics like Congress once was: Shah Opposition’s alliance an acknowledgment of our strength.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now nucleus of politics like Congress once was, says Amit Shah.





4:57 pm IST Earlier, the BJP ruled in six states, but that has gone up to 16 now: Shah Earlier, the BJP ruled in six states, but that has gone up to 16 now. We are even ready to form a government in West Bengal. The Modi government has done the best work for the poor compared to the past 70 years of ignorance, says Amit Shah.





4:54 pm IST Election of 2019 is very important for the poor of India: Amit Shah The election of 2019 is very important for the poor of India. This election matters to the youth. This election matters to millions of Indians who want to see India shine, says Amit Shah.





4:53 pm IST It is Modi government which has changed the entire world’s perspective towards India: Shah It is the Modi government which has changed the entire world’s perspective towards India, says Amit Shah.





4:53 pm IST The people who couldn’t face each other have today come together in the fear of defeat: Shah The people who could not face each other have today come together in the fear of defeat. They know that it is not possible to defeat Narendra Modi alone, says BJP chief Amit Shah.





4:51 pm IST Lok Sabha polls battle of two ideologies: Amit Shah Lok Sabha polls battle of two ideologies; BJP stands for cultural nationalism, poor, while rivals together merely for power, says Amit Shah.





4:50 pm IST This election will be fought by PM Modi and an alliance without a face: Shah This election will be fought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and an alliance without a face . This is the first government with an absolute majority after 30 years of coalition governments, says Amit Shah.





4:48 pm IST 2019 elections are essential for ‘Vikas’: Amit Shah 2019 elections are essential for ‘Vikas’. BJP will continue to form government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership this year, says Amit Shah.





4:45 pm IST We will get 74 seats in Uttar Pradesh: Amit Shah In Uttar Pradesh, I am in constant touch with the state unit and I can confidently say that the number of seats we win this time can become 74, but will not decrease to 72, says Amit Shah.





4:42 pm IST 2019 elections will be Modi versus all: Amit Shah 2019 elections will be Modi versus all. The war of 2019 is going to leave an impact for centuries and that is why I believe that winning is very important: Amit Shah





4:41 pm IST Atal Bihari Vajpayee shone like a pole star in politics: Amit Shah Since the days of Jana Sangh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee shone like a pole star in politics. I don’t think anyone has worked as hard as Vajpayee and Advani to take BJP in every corner of the country, says BJP chief Amit Shah





4:39 pm IST NDA will definitely form government in 2019: Amit Shah NDA will definitely form government in 2019, says Amit Shah.





4:38 pm IST There is no leader as popular as Narendra Modi in the entire world: Shah There is no leader as popular as Narendra Modi in the entire world, reports news agency ANI.





4:37 pm IST Efforts on to reduce price of goods and simplify GST: Amit Shah Since GST has been implemented, in every GST council meeting, one has been always working to reduce the price of goods and simplify GST, says Amit Shah.





4:33 pm IST Hardwork done by Atal ji and Advani ji’s jodi to strengthen BJP’s reach in every corner was enormous: Shah This is the first national convention after BJP’s foundation that Atal ji is not here. The hardwork done by Atal ji and Advani ji’s jodi to strengthen BJP’s reach in every corner was enormous, probably not done by any other party’s leaders, says Amit Shah.





4:32 pm IST Making every effort to make Vivekananda’s imagination of India a reality: Shah We are making every effort to make Vivekananda’s imagination of India a reality under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says Amit Shah





4:31 pm IST 2019 elections important for people waiting for development: Amit Shah 2019 elections are extremely important for BJP as well the country. It is important for the youth. It is important to millions of people in the country waiting for development, says BJP chief Amit Shah.





4:30 pm IST Traders who accept composition plans with turnover of up to 1.5 million will have to pay only 1% tax: Shah Traders who accept composition plans with turnover of up to 1.5 million will have to pay only 1% tax. This is a big decision for millions of small businessmen and small industries, says BJP chief Amit Shah.





4:29 pm IST Registration for small traders with annual turnover of up to Rs 40 lakh not necessary: Shah In a GST council meet chaired by finance minister Arun Jaitley, it was decided that the registration for small traders with annual turnover of up to Rs 40 lakh was not necessary, says Amit Shah.





4:26 pm IST The 2019 election is very much important for the people of the nation: Shah The 2019 election is very much important for the people of the nation, says BJP chief Amit Shah. We will win in the upcoming election.





4:24 pm IST Atal Behari Vajpayee had great contribution towards building the Bharatiya Janata Party: Shah Atal Behari Vajpayee had great contribution towards building the Bharatiya Janata Party, says Amit Shah.





4:18 pm IST Economically backward youth had a demand for years. Our government solved their problem: Shah Economically backward youth had a demand for years. Our government solved their problem. We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this momentous step, says Amit Shah





4:15 pm IST Quota Bill’s passage is a historic move: Amit Shah Two major decisions have been taken in one week. Quota Bill’s passage is a historic move. India’s youth needed quotas. On behalf of all volunteers I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says BJP chief Amit Shah





4:08 pm IST Amit Shah delivers inaugural address at BJP National Convention BJP chief Amit Shah gives inaugural address at BJP National Convention at Ramlila Maidan.





4:07 pm IST PM Modi and Amit Shah arrive at Ramlila Ground Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah arrive at Ramlila Ground to attend the two-day BJP National Council meeting. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, EAM Sushma Swaraj, Senior BJP leaders Murali Manohar Joshi and LK Advani also present, reports nerws agency ANI.





3:30 pm IST BJP to highlight economic growth The BJP will also try to dismiss criticism on the economic front by focussing on how India has attained the status of the world’s sixth largest economy last year. It will highlight how India will soon become the fifth largest economy, party strategists said.





3:20 pm IST BJP strategy BJP insiders say the party’s strategy for the conclave and afterwards is two-fold. It will attempt to set a “positive narrative” for the party by again showcasing the “impressive size” of beneficiaries of central schemes.





3:10 pm IST BJP to step up organisational preparedness The BJP will try to step up preparedness on the organisational front by roping in talent from across the country for specific election-related jobs.





3:00 pm IST More district-level leaders in attendance this time A BJP leader said a meeting of the national council, in which district-level leaders have been invited on such a scale, has been called for the first time. The council meets once a year with roughly 3,000 leaders in attendance.





2:50 pm IST Amit Shah, Narendra Modi to address party leaders BJP president Amit Shah will address at least 10,000 members of the council and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will talk to them on Saturday.





2:40 pm IST Meeting in backdrop of losses in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh The conclave, possibly the last such event of the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections, is being organised after it lost the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to Congress.



