Cong faults demonetisation as it lost money, Modi says in Gujarat
› The Congress is associated with every evil; be it corruption, nepotism, casteism... The youth of Gujarat will never accept the Congress. NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister
RAJKOT/BHARUCH/SURENDRANAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a no-holdsbarred attack on the Congress and its vice president Rahul Gandhi, blaming them for the country’s problem .
“The Congress is associated with every evil; be it corruption, nepotism, casteism and more,” Modi said at a rally in Rajkot, a town in Patidar-dominated Saurashtra region of Gujarat. “The youth of Gujarat will never accept the Congress.”
The Congress is pinning its hope on Patidars and their proreservation movement to return to power in Gujarat after a gap of 21 years. Gujarat goes to polls on December 9 and 14. Modi, who ruled the state from 2001 to 2014, said the Congress must introspect on its current position.
In the Rajkot rally, he tried to strike a chord with all key sections of his audience – youth, farmers, businessmen and women – as he dished out figures to prove that Gujarat progressed phenomenally under the BJP rule.
The Prime Minister accused Congress of resorting to divisive politics, “one that pits castes against each other”, and referred to the opposition party’s organisational election to elevate Rahul Gandhi as rigged.
AHMEDABAD: With barely a week to go for the first phase of the Gujarat assembly election, the key players on Sunday held multiple rallies and road shows.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed three rallies in Saurashtra and south Gujarat that together account for 89 seats going to the polls on December 9.
BJP chief Amit Shah focussed on Kutch, which also goes to the polls in the first phase. Hardik Patel led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti organised a 36 km road show covering four assembly constituencies in Surat city. And chief minister Vijay Rupani held a road show in Majura, again a seat in Surat city, the epicentre of the Patidar agitation for OBC quota in government jobs and college admissions. The Patidars are up in arms against the BJP government after having supported the party for the past 30 years.
The day, however, did not see any significant campaign by the main opposition Congress. But Rupani’s constituency saw much drama with his Congress rival levelling charges against the CM for using muscle power. Hardik’s show proved to be much bigger, both in terms of scale and response.
Thousands of youngsters joined him on two-and fourwheeler as they passed through the lanes of Katargam and Varachha Road. It was a day-long show at the end of which Hardik addressed his supporters.
BJP sources maintained that Rupani’s show was limited to one constituency and was planned only on Saturday. That was the reason why the response in comparison to Hardik’s rally appeared lukewarm. Rupnai also came under attack in his Rajkot West seat after the Congress candidate Indranil Rajyaguru made allegations that the CM and his party have been using muscle power to win the election.
Rajyaguru made the allegation on Sunday, hours after he was released in the morning from overnight police custody. Rajyaguru was detained late on Saturday night when he reached Rupani’s Rajkot residence to protest against an attack on his brother Divyanil. ”The BJP has gone desperate and employing muscle power to win. The police action was biased too. The police had spread the word that I was drunk last night but they did not do my blood test,’’ said Rajyaguru, who is the richest candidate in the first phase.
“Instead of dharna, Rajyaguru went berserk outside CM’S home.he used derogatory terms for the CM. The police had detained him only after their efforts to calm him down failed,’’ said BJP leader Dhansukh Bhanderi.