PM Modi Says ‘Pass’ To Question At First Press Conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appeared in what was being touted as his first ever press conference but did not field any questions.

“I have come to you to thank you for giving me ashirvad (blessings) and letting me work for the country for the last five years,” he said, before going on to add: “We will start work as soon as possible on the promises made in our manifesto once we come to power again.”

He spoke of how in 2014, the Lok Sabha results were declared on May 16. A day later, he said, punters had got it all wrong when the BJP’s sweep confounded their calculations. He said the way bettors lost money one could say that the reign of honesty began on May 17, 2014.

He spoke about the 2019 poll process, how everything was planned in advance, from his first election rally to the last one.

After he had finished talking when a reporter asked Modi a question, he said: “No, no, not me. We don’t speak in front of the president. I am a disciplined soldier; the party president is everything for me.”

Amit Shah then told the reporter: “I will answer your questions. It is not necessary for the Prime Minister to answer every question of yours.”