PM Modi with his right hand Amit Shah along with Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had addressed a big rally of BJP party workers ahead of the upcoming assembly elections on Tuesday in Bhopal. PM Modi visited Bhopal around noon to address the party workers and encourage them for the forthcoming polls. The program named, ‘Karyakarta Mahakumbh’ which was attended by around 10 lakh party workers who came from 65000 polling booths in 230 constituencies was held on the eve of the birth anniversary of Bhartiya Jan Sangh(predecessor of BJP) co-founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay who was a Hindutva icon. The party workers were
Boasting about being from the world’s largest party, PM Modi addressed apparently the world’s largest congregation of party workers. The event was mostly about the BJP’s legacy and its famous leaders which was evident from the chosen day to the name of the venue, which was, “Atal Mahakumbh Parisar”. An exhibition hall was also set up at the rally ground which was named after BJP former union minister late Anil Madhav Dave. “The exhibition is set up to showcase the journey and works of some big leaders such as Vajpayee, Vijayraje Scindia, and also PM Modi. Rajnish Agrawal, BJP spokesperson was quoted by TOI as saying, “In the exhibition, BJP and BJS stalwarts -Upadhyaya, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Vajpayee, Rajmata Vijayraje Scindia, and Kushabhau Thakre- have been depicted as the five strong pillars of BJP”.
PM Modi landed with Shah in the capital amidst high security. After brief address of Shah and Chouhan, the PM started his address by talking about the enthusiasm among the party workers and identified him as a worker of BJP and said that “working for the world’s largest party which is ruling 19 states and serving the nation is a matter of great pride.”
What PM Modi Said:
Evoking late Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay on his 102nd birth anniversary who was born in Madhya Pradesh, he said the workers to work towards the welfare of the nation. Adding the name of Mahatma Gandhi and Ram Manohar Lohia, he said that they have also took nation in a new direction.
He also credited BJP of removing vote bank politics from the nation which had eaten into the nation like termites. He said that the government at the center as well as state is working towards the development of the nation. He also claimed that Madhya Pradesh has topped in the development in the various government reports. He also added that ‘sabka sath sabka vikas’ is not merely a slogan, it is a path chosen towards development of the nation.
Critisizing the main opposition in the state, Modi said, “Congress never ever thought about welfare of Madhya Pradesh. Had they thought of state’s progress when they were in power for such a long time the state would have developed; but they only believe in vote-bank politics”.
PM Modi also accused the Congress of not being co-operative with the BJP ruled state when they were in power. He was quoted as saying by a news website, “When UPA (United Progressive Alliance) was in power, they used to act like an enemy of BJP-ruled states. I was a CM (Chief Minister) and if any Union Minister even did namaste to me and that photo was published in the newspaper the next day, the minister would tremble in fear that his career was now over”.
Mocking the ‘mahagathbandhan’ of Congress, he said “what kind of an alliance is this” and that this is “born out of the fear of losing against BJP”. He also demeaned the alliance by saying that Rahul Gandhi-led party had to seek the support of such smaller parties. He lashed out at congress that instead of blaming EVMs they should introspect why they have lost 19 state elections.
The state is going to hold its assembly election by the year end where BJP has been in power since 15 years. Despite the anti-incumbency wave the Chouhan government is facing, Congress might have a tough competition as its supposed trusted ally BSP has decided to contest election on its own on all 230 seats.