In a bid to come out of political isolation, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who is being touted as Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate, on Sunday made a valiant attempt to give a new lease of life to the politics of anti-Congressism. Launching his southern election campaign from Hyderabad, Modi appealed to all non-Congress parties to come together in a bid to dislodge the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and to end ‘dynastic’ rule. He added that the nation is dreaming of Congress-free India and the parties must coalesce to grab power at the Centre so as to fulfill that dream.
Modi also attacked the Centre’s ‘inaction’ against Pakistan’s repeated incursions across the LoC resulting in the deaths of Indian soldiers. Modi demanded, ‘Can we have a protocol with those who behead our soldiers?’ ‘The UPA government cannot provide security to the nation; it is neck deep in vote-bank politics,’ he added.
Modi further criticised the Centre for ‘compromising’ Indian interests during recent Chinese incursions into Indian territory, taking a jibe at external affairs minister Salman Khurshid’s for his Beijing comment. He went on to launch a subtle attack on Sonia Gandhi by raking up the issue of the Italian marines killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. He asked, ‘If an Indian incarcerated in jail for murder cannot get bail, how the Italian marines could?’
In a bid to woo fresh allies, the Gujarat CM who is the BJP’s national election campaign chief, made a specific appeal to Telugu Desam Party (TDP). ‘Congress party is a burden on this nation. Today, I want to remember NTR (NT Ramarao), who did service not only to Andhra but the whole of India, when he gave boost to anti-Congress politics. It was NTR’s efforts that paved the way for formation of a non-Congress government at the Centre,’ he said at the rally held at the city’s Lal Bahadur stadium. TDP, headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, is a former constituent of BJP-led NDA and supported the Vajpayee government from 1998 to 2004. The TDP severed its alliance with BJP after the 2004 election defeat.
Modi ended his 45-minute speech taking a leaf out of US president Barack Obama by making the crowd chant ‘Yes, we can.’ The Gujarat CM also took the opportunity to praise L K Advani, who had been sulking over Modi’s elevation as campaign committee chief.
Hailing the public distribution system implemented by the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh, Modi asserted if only the Centre adopted the enhanced PDS model, there was no need for a separate food security bill. He also complimented his colleague Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his schemes aimed at benefiting girl children.
Modi also praised the governance model of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa of AIADMK in whom the NDA sees a possible ally. However, the Gujarat CM vehemently attacked Congress over the manner in which it decided to create a separate state of
Telangana.
Modi also attacked the Centre’s ‘inaction’ against Pakistan’s repeated incursions across the LoC resulting in the deaths of Indian soldiers. Modi demanded, ‘Can we have a protocol with those who behead our soldiers?’ ‘The UPA government cannot provide security to the nation; it is neck deep in vote-bank politics,’ he added.
Modi further criticised the Centre for ‘compromising’ Indian interests during recent Chinese incursions into Indian territory, taking a jibe at external affairs minister Salman Khurshid’s for his Beijing comment. He went on to launch a subtle attack on Sonia Gandhi by raking up the issue of the Italian marines killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012. He asked, ‘If an Indian incarcerated in jail for murder cannot get bail, how the Italian marines could?’
In a bid to woo fresh allies, the Gujarat CM who is the BJP’s national election campaign chief, made a specific appeal to Telugu Desam Party (TDP). ‘Congress party is a burden on this nation. Today, I want to remember NTR (NT Ramarao), who did service not only to Andhra but the whole of India, when he gave boost to anti-Congress politics. It was NTR’s efforts that paved the way for formation of a non-Congress government at the Centre,’ he said at the rally held at the city’s Lal Bahadur stadium. TDP, headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, is a former constituent of BJP-led NDA and supported the Vajpayee government from 1998 to 2004. The TDP severed its alliance with BJP after the 2004 election defeat.
Modi ended his 45-minute speech taking a leaf out of US president Barack Obama by making the crowd chant ‘Yes, we can.’ The Gujarat CM also took the opportunity to praise L K Advani, who had been sulking over Modi’s elevation as campaign committee chief.
Hailing the public distribution system implemented by the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh, Modi asserted if only the Centre adopted the enhanced PDS model, there was no need for a separate food security bill. He also complimented his colleague Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his schemes aimed at benefiting girl children.
Modi also praised the governance model of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa of AIADMK in whom the NDA sees a possible ally. However, the Gujarat CM vehemently attacked Congress over the manner in which it decided to create a separate state of
Telangana.