Ensure BJP’S landslide win in Gujarat, PM urges voters
When Congress was in power 20 years ago, the state had only 5.5m power connections and when farmers protested for more, they had to face bullets, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the people of Gujarat to ensure that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the state assembly polls with a huge margin.
Addressing a public rally in Mehsana, he said, “I am confident that you will vote for us but this time, you should not just vote for victory, but for victory with a huge margin.”
Coming down heavily on the Congress, he said when the grand-old-party was in power 20 years ago, the state had only 55 lakh power connections and when the farmers protested for more, they had to face bullets.
Notably, during the Congress rule in the late 1980s, when the farmers were blocking highways under the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh demanding more electricity, the police had to open fire on them at various places, in which 15 farmers were killed.
Comparing the situations, he said now power connections in the state have increased to 2 crore.
He also reminded that back then, only 2000 MW power was generated using gas, today the state is generating 4000 MW. Once the Mehsana and north Gujarat were facing acute shortage for water -- both drinking and irrigation, but since the BJP government has provided Narmada, Sujalam and Sufalam irrigation projects, farmers are able to engage in cultivation in all the three seasons.
Mehsana and Becharaji, he said, have turned into industrial hubs, Suzuki cars manufactured in Becharaji are being exported to Japan.
There were 600 engineering units in Mehsana which has gone upto 2000. Soon electric vehicles (EV) will be manufactured here making it an EV hub, the prime minister said.
The BJP government has done so much developmental work that the Congress can’t find a single issue against it and hence is not in a position to question the ruling party.
The Gujarat assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases on Dec.1 and 5. The results will be announced on Dec.8.
Meanwhile, the Static Surveillance team has recovered Rs75 lakh in cash from a car here days before Gujarat goes to poll, sources said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, the team intercepted a car with three occupants and on searching, it found Rs75 lakh in cash.
While two persons -- Uday Gurjar and Mohammad Faiz -- were detained and questioned by the police, the third -- Sandeep -- managed to escape.
Income Tax department will be joining the investigation.
Though the Surat police did not issue any statement regarding the seizure, sources from the department said that the car occupants had collected Rs75 lakh in cash from one RR Angadia Pedhi and were returning when the surveillance team intercepted their vehicle.
While searching, the team found leaflets on Congress Rahul Gandhi’s Surat rally from the vehicle besides a VIP car pass bearing the name of BM Sandeep, the AICC secretary and in-charge of South Gujarat region of Congress, triggering a political slugfest.
BJP media coordinator Yagnesh Dave said that the recovery of Congress leaflets indicates the involvement of a Congress leader. There are all chances that the cash also belongs to Congress, he alleged, adding that investigation will reveal whose money is it and the reason for such huge amount being transported in Surat.
Refuting the allegations, Surat Congress leader Naisadh Desai termed it a “conspiracy” to frame his party.
Another party spokesman Hemang Rawal asserted that there is no evidence to prove that the cash belongs to the Congress. “Let the investigation unveil the truth,” he said, adding that his party has full faith in law of land.
On Tuesday, BJP’S Gujarat unit president CR Patil suspended 12 more rebels citing anti-party activities.
All of them had decided to contest in the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls as either Independent or Congress candidates. On November 20, Patil had suspended seven party leaders for similar reasons.
In all, the BJP has suspended 19 of its members for anti-party activities and contesting against saffron party candidates.