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Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Congress for opposing opinion polls, saying the fear of losing elections was the reason behind its "nonsensical" demand and "desperate" tactics.
Addressing a public meeting in Bemetra, Chhattisgarh, ahead of the second phase of assembly election on November 19, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate launched a shrill attack against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on their claim -- that the Centre was giving funds to the state but it was not able to use them properly. He asked if these funds to Chhattisgarh are coming from Rahul's "maternal uncle"-- a dig at Sonia's Italian origin.
"There are going to lose power in 2014. BJP and NDA are going to form the government in Delhi. So they are trying to ban all opinion polls. These scared, frightened people are in fear of losing power. They are talking nonsense and resorting to desperate tactics," Modi said.
Targeting Sonia Gandhi, Modi said that the state is still poor and suffering from malgovernance under BJP rule, and she should do "some homework and then come here".
"All Congress leaders including the prime minister and the finance minister have praised the Chhattisgarh government. Your government has given several awards and felicitated Chhattisgarh so many times. The state has progressed under Raman Singh," Modi said.
The BJP leader said the Congress should first implement the election promises it is making -- like free rice and 24-hour electricity -- in states where it is in power.
He also sought to know why the Congress is scared of disclosing the name of its chief ministerial candidate.
"If a sting is conducted of Congress leaders, they take the name of Ajit Jogi as their CM candidate. Do you fear losing the polls if his name is declared? What are the sins that are preventing you from declaring his name?" he said.
Alleging that Congress’s claims of giving massive funds to Chhattisgarh under various schemes are an insult to its people, Modi said, "Sonia Madam and Shehzade (Rahul) had come here. Said so much foodgrain and funds have been given. Are you people standing here with a begging bowl? What kind of language is the Congress speaking?"
Asserting that the people have a right to central funds, he said, "I want to ask Shehzada, did he get the money from his maternal uncle's house? This is the people's money."
Modi sought to know, "Why is the Congress trying to come to power through the backdoor"?
Expressing his condolences over the death of security personnel and polling staff in Maoist attack in the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh, Modi said the Election Commission should put up the names of such martyrs on its website.
Image Courtesy: http://www.narendramodi.in/