PM Modi addressed rallies in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh ahead of Assembly elections - In pics
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday challenged the Congress to make someone from outside the Gandhi family its chief for at least five years if it respected democracy, as he returned the Congress' barb that a 'chaiwala' could rise to power only because of democratic systems established by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Addressing a poll rally in Surguja district for the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections scheduled for November 20, Modi also hit back at the Congress for questioning demonetisation, saying the move "still rankles" them as the money "stashed under beds and in sacks" was taken away in a single stroke. While the BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh for 15 continuous years, the Congress was in power in the state only for three years after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.
While the BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh for 15 continuous years, the Congress was in power in the state only for three years after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Traditionally, the two national parties have had a direct fight in this state, although a third force as emerged this time in form of an alliance between the parties of former Congress chief minister Ajit Jogi and of Dalit leader Mayawati. Modi asked Congress to give account of what the four generations of the (Gandhi) family did for the nation before asking for an account of his government's four-and-half years' rule. While 18 assembly constituencies in the state went to polls in the first phase on Monday, voting will take place in the remaining 72 seats next Tuesday. The results will be on December 11. (Image Courtesy: PTI)
Taking potshots at the faction-ridden Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday challenged the party to declare its chief ministerial candidate. Addressing a campaign rally in Gwalior, Modi said that how can a party chief, who is unable to decide the CM face, take decisions about the future of the people. The Congress, which is in opposition in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, has not declared its chief ministerial face to take on BJP's Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the state which is going to the polls on November 28. "The Congress party in the state speaks in eight different languages in eight regions of the state. Every area has its own leader. You go to one area, they say the leader from there will be the chief minister. They are having eight CM faces....I challenge the party to declare its chief ministerial candidate," Modi said. (Image Courtesy: PTI)
"How can a party chief, who cannot even decide who will be the chief minister, decide your future," the prime minister asked. During the Congress rule, Madhya Pradesh was counted among `BIMARU' states (a group of backward states) while under the BJP it is known as "Maximum Progress" (MP) state, he said, while appealing people to keep the Congress away from power.
The Congress' state unit has been faction-ridden with Digvijay Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia leading some of the groups, though the party has maintained that it is united in its fight against the BJP . The Prime Minister also referred to the "bad roads" of Madhya Pradesh under the Congress rule. When Digvijay Singh was the chief minister, people came to know that they had reached Madhya Pradesh the moment they entered the state thanks to its pot-holed roads, Modi said.
