Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an attempt to get the Gujarat BJP back on track, has come entered the show as the showstopper and began the final leg of election campaigning in the poll-bound state ahead of the first phase of the elections, due on 9 Nov.
Quite a few surveys have suggested that there are possibilities that Congress might be able to nail the victory for a change in Gujarat, especially after the huge response that the party’s Vice President Rahul Gandhi‘s new ‘avatar’ is getting. But BJP denies the surveys and is very confident that the party will win the assembly elections with three-fourths majority. The reason behind this confidence is of course none other than the party’s star campaigner and national face, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While Rahul Gandhi just finished his probable last leg of campaigning ahead of the first phase, BJP was busy mocking around that let Congress try anything they want to, ultimately, BJP will be the sole winner. Some BJP leader also commented that Congress campaigning will soon fade away as soon as Modi begins with his tour in his home state.
The Prime Minister began his two-day tour of Gujarat from 27 Nov. During his address in Bhuj, today, Narendra Modi began with a scathing attack on the opposition party by comparing the previous government’s response to his government’s response over the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
India was attacked on 26/11 and in Uri. You can see how India responded in the wake of both attacks. This explains the difference between their Government and ours,” he said Addressing the first rally of the four scheduled for today Modi said that the Gujarat assembly elections is a fight between the “vikas(development)” and “vanshwaad (dynasty)”. His this comment was in wake of the recent changes that the Congress hierarchy will be going through when the Party President Sonia Gandhi will step down and give the baton to her son, incumbent Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to take command as the Party President.
Taking a dig at the Congress leader for his comments over Narendra Modi during his campaigning, the BJP star campaigner said that “This Gujarat son has no stains in his public life. You come to the state and level baseless allegations on the son of the soil… the people of the state will not forgive you.”
While addressing the gathering Modi said that “Gujarat is my Aatma (Soul), Bharat is my Parmatma (Supreme Soul). This land of Gujarat has cared for me, Gujarat has given me strength.” Narendra Modi also did not forget to pull down the opposition over its recent remarks on Modi’s origin.
The youth Congress had a few days back tweeted a meme, showing Modi in conversation with US President Donald Trump and Theresa May, where the fact that the Prime Minister was a tea seller earlier, was mocked. However, the tweet was removed and the Congress also apologized for it, BJP said that the damage has already been done and deleting the meme does not matter now.
Narendra Modi during his poll rallies took a jibe the Congress for attacking his origin. He requested the Congress, not to mock his poor origins. He said that The Congress dislikes me because of my poor origins. Can a party stoop so low? Yes, a person belonging to a poor family has become PM. They do not fail to hide their contempt for this fact. Yes, I sold tea but I did not sell the nation.”
BJP also did not fail to take this meme of Congress, using it in their favor, as the party and Modi himself as many a times used the chailwala, term with pride. Ahead of Modi’s visit, the BJP heavyweights organized a programme called ‘Chai pe Charcha’. Making it as a part of the campaign in Gujarat, the BJP leaders at booth levels with several workers and people, tuned into the radio programme of Narendra Modi ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and listened to it together.
Addressing the rallies, the Prime Minister in a string of attacks on Congress one after the other said that “When Keshubhai Patel, a son of Saurashtra became the CM the Congress tried everything to dislodge him. They repeated the same disruptive tactic with Anandiben Patel, a daughter of the Patel Community. Congress has defamed Gujarat always.”
He further alleged that Congress was learning from the Aam Admi party, “whose style is to keep abusing and running away. I thought the Congress, being an older party would not indulge in such politics but they have also taken this shortcut in the past two months and only hurled abuses and lies.”
He also gave a befitting reply to the Congress and the remarks made by Rahul Gandhi over the failure of demonetization. He said that “Congress is unhappy about demonetization. They keep attacking me but I want to tell them…I have grown up on the same land as Sardar Patel. I will ensure that the poor get their due. We will not allow this nation to be looted.”
He also raised a question over the Congress Vice President holding a meeting with the Chinese ambassador. Modi asked that “When our soldiers were standing eye-to-eye in Dokalam for 70 days, why were you hugging the Chinese ambassador?”
While addressing the rally in Rajkot’s Jasdan, he said that “When we started bringing the waters of the Narmada here to Saurashtra, there were people who were mocking us. Their negative politics has not changed over the years. Our faith is in politics of development and good governance.”
The Prime Minister during his rallies pulled down on every little remark and mistakes made by the opposition. He also commented on the Congress’s style of politics. He said that “There was a person who led a life of discipline on Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals, a disciplined & hardworking son of the soil just like Sardar Patel but he had the same ‘flaw’ of being a Gujarati, so he was not allowed to stay in national politics by them (Congress).”
He further added that “it was with the support of the Jan Sangh that a person from the Patel Community, Babubhai Patel became CM. Congress did not like this and ensured that Babubhai Jashbhai’s government did not last. When Keshubhai Patel, a son of Saurashtra became the CM the Congress tried everything to dislodge him. They repeated the same disruptive tactic with Anandiben Patel, a daughter of the Patel Community. Congress has defamed Gujarat always.”
The BJP star campaigner accused Congress of hating the Gujaratis and said that the party has insulted the Gujarat. “Congress has not just insulted Sardar Patel. Congress ignored Morarji Desai because he was from Gujarat. Congress has insulted all of Gujarat,” he said.
Attacking the party for using the caste politics and dividing Gujarat in the name of communal parties, Modi said that “Pitting one caste against the other is Congress’ tendency. Make sure that you do not let them destroy the composite culture of Gujarat.”
This is the last leg of election campaigning by the BJP ahead of the first phase of the elections, where out of total 182 seats, 84 will go to polls on 9 Dec and the remaining 98 will face the elections on 14 Dec. The counting for both the phases will be done on 18 Dec.