Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 17 May declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners now govern 80 per cent of India, crediting the political expansion to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the ground-level efforts of party workers. Shah made the remarks while addressing a public programme in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, after inaugurating and laying foundation stones for development projects worth ₹620 crore.

Shah's Key Claims on BJP's Political Dominance

Speaking at the event, Shah drew a geographic arc to illustrate the party's reach. 'Today, the BJP and NDA governments are ruling in 80 per cent of the country. Maa Ganga originates in Uttarakhand and merges into the sea in Bengal. From Uttarakhand through UP, Bihar and Bengal, the BJP rule has spread,' he said.

He noted that the NDA had returned to power at the Centre for a third consecutive term under Modi's leadership — a milestone he described as a reflection of sustained public trust. Shah also drew a historical parallel, saying the BJP's current nationwide expansion resembled the broad dominance the Indian National Congress once enjoyed after Independence, driven then by the influence of Mahatma Gandhi.

Credit to Booth-Level Workers

Shah was emphatic in attributing the party's electoral record to its grassroots machinery. 'If anyone deserves credit for every victory, it is solely the BJP booth-level workers,' he said. He added that these workers had kept the party connected with communities by responding to even small local concerns — a network he argued was central to the BJP's ability to convert governance outcomes into votes.

He also recalled the party workers' role during the Covid-19 pandemic, citing food distribution drives, support for hospital treatment, and assistance during vaccination campaigns as examples of ground-level trust-building.

Gujarat Local Body Results and Gandhinagar Projects

Shah pointed to Gujarat's recent local body elections as evidence of the party's organisational strength, noting that the BJP had won all municipal corporations and secured major victories in municipalities and panchayats across the state.

He praised Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, saying the state government 'had continued the development journey initiated by Narendra Modi in the state.' The ₹620 crore worth of projects inaugurated and announced in Gandhinagar span drinking water networks, sewage treatment systems, road development, lake beautification, health infrastructure, yoga centres, and public utility services.

What the Chief Minister Said

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, also present at the programme, said the state government aimed to develop 'green, pollution-free and sustainable cities with modern civic infrastructure.' He described Gandhinagar as being developed with a 'long-term vision focused on environmental sustainability and urban growth.'

Broader Political Context

Shah's remarks come as the BJP consolidates its position across multiple state assemblies following a series of electoral victories. The claim of governing 80 per cent of India — measured by states and union territories under BJP or NDA-led governments — underscores the party's strategic shift from a north-India-centric force to a pan-India political presence. Critics, however, have noted that several large opposition-governed states, including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and West Bengal, remain outside the NDA fold, and that population-weighted or seat-weighted metrics could yield a different picture. The BJP's next major electoral tests will further define whether this dominance holds.