Modi reaches out to minorities in second term as PM, asks NDA lawmakers to earn their trust

New Delhi, May 26: Elected NDA leader again to serve a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought to reach out to minorities, who he said had been cheated by successive governments in the past.

In his speech lasting over 75 minutes after being elected as the parliamentary party leader of the NDA, Modi promised to 'a new journey to build a new India with new energy' and reached out to minorities. He also urged the NDA alliance partners to make conscious efforts to win the trust of minorities without any discrimination.

"The way the poor have been cheated, the minorities have been deceived the same way. It would have been good if their education, their health had been in focus. Minorities have been made to live in fear by those who believed in vote-bank politics. I expect from you in 2019 that you would be able to make a hole in that deception. We have to earn their trust," he added.

Reflecting on the historic mandate given to the NDA, Modi urged the newly elected lawmakers not to rest on their laurels and stressed that the massive win has also led to increased responsibility.

"It is natural for us to feel proud about coming back to power...but as the elected we cannot hold on this pride. We have to work for the ones who voted for us and the ones who didn't and we have to hope that our work will convince them," he said.