PM Modi addresses BJP national executive, party passes economic resolution

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 07, 2017: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national executive on Saturday, hours after the BJP’s highest decision-making body passed its economic resolution lauding the government’s move to recall high-value banknotes.

 

Commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the executive’s passage of the resolution was unanimous.

“The entire executive agreed that demonetisation is a historic step,” she said. “PM’s visionary leadership was lauded.”

The resolution also praised the step and the measures that have followed since November 8, when Modi announced his surprise move that he said was aimed at curbing black money and corruption.

Quoting finance minister Arun Jaitley who moved the resolution, Sitharaman said contrary to claims by the Opposition, revenue collections in most large states had gone up during the month of November “with the exception of West Bengal.”

The meeting was being held ahead of assembly polls in five states that begin early next month and demonetisation is expected to figure among the election issues.

“The combined opposition has run a negative campaign against the Modi government on demonetisation but the surveys show that 80-85 per cent people have backed the decision,” party spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said.

Demonetisation and the surgical strike against militant bases across the Line of Control, the de-facto border with Pakistan, dominated the national executive on Friday.