Only in a weeks time, Himachal Pradesh will be facing the assembly elections and both BJP and Congress are leaving no opportunity to list down the failures of the other.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing rallies in Kangra and Paonta Sahib, in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday termed Congress as a laughing club and said that the party looted the money of the public. Ahead of the polls due on 3 Nov, Modi for the first time addressed rallies taking forward the election campaign after the dates for the election was announced by the Election Commission.
Addressing the gathering, Modi took a stringent attack on the ruling Congress in the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. He said that the Congress party had only looted the hard earned money of the people and assured that if BJP comes to power in Himachal, the party will surely put an end to corruption in the state. During his speech in Paonta Sahib, he said that “Khazane par ab koi panja nahin mar sakega”(Nobody can loot the coffers now).”
Attacking the Congress he also took a dig at the party by bringing up the dynasty politics prevailing in Congress. He said that Congress which was originally the party of Mahatma Gandhi and the freedom fighters has now become the party of corruption and dynasty politics. Underlining one of the major aim of BJP of achieving a Congress Mukt Bharat, Modi said that “The party is an example of a rotten thought process. When we ask for a Congress-free India, we want an India free of this thinking.”
The Prime Minister further taking a jibe at Congress said that while the people across the nation are engaged in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, BJP is also wiping out Congress from everywhere, when they get the opportunity, through elections, cleaning the country from corruption. Attacking the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Modi said that the party during its elections had promised zero tolerance against corruption, while its leader Virbhadra Singh was himself out on bail. He further questioned that how can the people put their faith in such a party to fight against corruption, when its own leader was charged with corruption cases against them?
Modi termed Congress as a laughing club and alleged that the party was now functioning only on three perceptions of ‘bhrashtachaar’ (corruption), ‘pariwaarwaad’ (nepotism), ‘jaatiwaad’ (casteism).
Addressing the rally in Kangra, Modi said that “Himachal Pradesh is a ‘dev bhoomi’ (land of the gods), and everyone knows that when the ‘rakshas’ (demons) descended here to create trouble, it was the ‘devs’ (gods) who defeated them. People know that the devs will overpower the ‘danavs’ (demons) and that the time has come to choose the ‘devs’ so that evil can be overpowered.”
The Prime Minister also brought up the Doklam issues when Congress Cive President Rahul Gandhi Chinese ambassador. “A person who was born in a family of two former prime ministers does not have his trust in the elected government, and went and spoke to the Chinese ambassador. Isn’t that an insult to the jawans in the army,” said Modi. The Prime Minister also hit on one of the most debated allegation on Modi and the Central government regarding GST and Demonetisation. He said that only those people are complaining about the note ban who had money to hide.
Not leaving any point to pull down on Congress, Modi also spoke about the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. He recited the incident referring to the Jan Sangh saying that the party was created with the efforts of leaders like Shanta Kumar, former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, to counter attack the Congress. “Pandit Nehru… said they’d uproot and throw away the Jan Sangh during its early years,” Modi said.
Praising the achievements of BJP’s two former Chief Ministers, Modi said that while Shanta Kumar had provided water to the state, Prem Kumar Dhumal promoted tourism, but the Congress only spread corruption and did nothing for the welfare of the people.
During the rally, Narendra Modi also gave suggestion to the Congress to investigate that why the people were turning away their heads from the ruling party in the state. “But one needs to have a soul to introspect,” he added. He said that the state needs to get rid of five monsters in Himachal Pradesh i.e. mining mafia, forest mafia, drug mafia, tender mafia and transfer mafia and BJP will help the do so.
Addressing the gathering he urged the people to come out and vote in large numbers and added that he wanted record voting this time. “I know we will win anyway, because I have worked in Himachal and know the pulse of the people of this hill state… You have the opportunity to dismiss those who looted the state by pushing the right button on November 9.”
Talking about the achievements of the NDA government, Modi said that the government at the centre is adamant on fighting against corruption and is using technologies and the direct transfer of subsidies to beneficiaries to fight against the demon of corruption. This practice had not only saved Rs 57,000 crore but also ended corruption, he said.
Providing data to support his statement, Modi said that The government closed down over two lakh shell companies. The probe into the functioning of just 5,000 companies revealed irregularities of Rs 4,000 crore… we can only guess what would be the total amount involved but all those who looted the money will have to pay it back.”
Taking a dig at the failures of the ruling government in Himachal Modi said that while Congress failed to provide jobs to the youth, BJP’s main goal and even the slogan is Bachho ko Padhai, Yuva ko Kamai, Buzurgon ko dawai” (Education to children, employment to youth and medicine to elderly people).”
According to the Prime Minister, Congress party was a group of non-serious people, who did not know what they were doing or saying.
Again listing down the failures of Congress, Modi said that while the UPA government had fooled the soldiers on the issue of “one rank, one pension”(OROP), the NDA not only kept up its promise but had already paid three installments of arrears.
Himachal Pradesh will contest the 68 Assembly seats on November 9. The votes will be counted on December 18 along with those in Gujarat.
It seems like the Himachal Pradesh elections are just like a dress rehearsal for both the potential parties, the real battle will be fought on the grounds of Gujarat, when the state goes to polls on 9 Dec and 14 Dec. The results of the polls in Gujarat will be announced on 18 Dec along with the results of Himachal and these results will further pave the path for the Lok Sabha elections due in 2019.