The string of state assembly elections in 2017 are critical for the BJP's plans of winning the 2019 general elections, BJP national president Amit Shah said on Saturday."Winning the 2017 assembly elections in Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Punjab is critical because it will lay the foundation for the 2019 general elections which the BJP has to win to ensure that India becomes the top nation in the world," Shah said while speaking at a party workers convention at the Shyama Prasada Mookerjee indoor stadium near Panaji."We have to ensure that we win the assembly elections in Goa and other states in 2017 so that no one can stop Modi ji from coming to power in 2019," Shah said while formally launching the party's poll campaign for the forthcoming state legislative assembly elections likely in 2017.Shah later held a meeting with the party's state office bearers, ministers in the Goa government as well as legislators over dinner at a restaurant in the state capital, where the party's poll strategy for the coastal state was also discussed.Top BJP leaders including Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, state cabinet ministers, state BJP president Vinay Tendulkar, among other functionaries were present at the event.