PM raises poll heat: Cong opportunist, will join any pact to survive

On demonetisation, Modi says he has faced ‘zulm’ in the last three months

CAMPAIGNERS IN PUNJAB FOR LAST LAP

WITH A week left for campaigning in Punjab where assembly elections will be held on February 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted a scathing attack Friday on the Congress, accusing it of “political opportunism” and describing it as a “sinking ship” which “people should not board because it is not going to take them anywhere”.

Addressing a rally in Jalandhar, Modi sought support for Parkash Singh Badal of the ruling SAD, urging people to vote the Chief Minister in for a third straight term. “Ever since I was (BJP) in-charge of Punjab affairs and Chief Minister of Gujarat, Badal Sahib has held my hand and guided me. Whenever he meets me, he only discusses issues of Punjab’s farmers and the poor,” he said.

Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who raked up the issue of drug menace in the state at a rally in Majitha, the Prime Minister said: “Kuchch logon ke paas jab koi political mudda nahin hai, toh woh Punjab ki aan, baan, shaan par daag lagana chahate hain... yehan ke naujawano ko duniya bhar me badnam kar rahe hain (some people who have no political issue to raise are tarnishing the image of Punjab and discrediting its youth).” He said Punjabi pride had been hurt by such statements and the polls will be the best response.

The Congress, he said, is “like water and changes its shape to suit its political needs”. He used a line from a song of a Hindi film to make his point: “Paani re paani tera rang kaisa”.

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Express Modi, Badal at a rally in Jalandhar on Friday.