Rafale allegations won’t harm BJP in polls: Goyal

The Opposition's "baseless" allegations about the Rafale fighter jet deal will not affect the BJP's poll prospects, Union minister Piyush Goyal said here on Saturday.

He was speaking to the media after the party launched "Bharat ke mann ki baat, Modi ke saath", a month-long exercise to seek people's suggestions to help it prepare its manifesto.

Asked if the Rafale issue, which the Congress has been raising consistently, alleging corruption, will impact the BJP in coming Lok Sabha polls, Goyal replied in the negative. "We have been going around the country and nobody has ever raised this issue and nobody has ever worried about it, because there is complete trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The people of India trust Modi," Goyal said.

"Absolutely baseless" allegations were being made, he said, adding, "These insinuations have no basis at all. So, I don't think this is an issue in the elections."

The party is happy that a "non-issue" like Rafale "kept the Opposition busy while the BJP focuses on development and reaches out to the people", the Union minister said.