In a full-scale offensive, Narendra Modi on Sunday charged that Sonia Gandhi's "blind love" towards her son Rahul Gandhi had left the country in "ruins" and the United Progressive Alliance government was "remote-controlled" by her.
"A mother's blind love towards her son has left the country in ruins, to a son for whom all this has been done...will anything come out of him? Is there anything? Will anything happen? Will you be able to believe him? Can the country live believing him?" he said at Haveri in north Karnataka, without naming the Gandhis.
The BJP prime ministerial candidate also latched on the contents of a book written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's former Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru, to accuse the UPA government of being "remote controlled" by Sonia.
In his book, "The Accidental Prime Minister--The Making and Unmaking Of Manmohan Singh," Baru has said Singh seemed to "surrender" to Gandhi, playing the second fiddle.
"Two days ago a book has come out, an official who used to work in the Manmohan Singh government and his confidant has written this book. He has said this government is not being run by Manmohan Singhji. All the files are being checked by Sonia," Modi said.
Noting that Singh has been described as "accidental prime minister" in the book, he spoke about the casualties that accidents -- involving scooters, trains or aircraft – would cause.
“...but with accidental Prime Minister 125 crore people will die and future of our youth will get immersed in darkness. This is a book by the prime minister's personal man," said Modi, who also addressed rallies at Chikkamagalur and Chikkaballapur.
In his rallies, Modi asked, "I ask you all what type of government do you want in India? Do you want a government in Delhi, a lame government? Do you want a dumb government? Do you want remote-controlled government.Do you want a government which is lying dead in a hospital?"
Referring to Baru's book, Modi said, "Brothers if two scooters meet with an accident maximum two or three people will die, if two buses meet with an accident 40 to 50 people will die, if two aircraft meet with accident 700 to 800 people will die, if two trains meet with accident 200 to 300 people will die."
"From accident, the loss will not be more than this. But with accidental prime minister, 125 crore people will die and future of our youth will get immersed in darkness. This is a book by prime minister's personal man," he said.
Drawing Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who was in the Prime Minister’s Office also into the issue, Modi said, "....he has said something else....he has said when he was given chance to head the government for second term, Manmohan Singh refused it with folded hands."
"He did not want to become PM but madam made him forcefully, why? Because, until son gets ready give the charge to someone...at the cost of country's well-being," Modi said. Saying that "a mother's blind love towards her son has left the country in ruins," he said, "Brothers and sisters we cannot leave the country to ruin, we will not allow this country to be looted, we will not allow this country to be divided....we don't have the time, the country needs strong determination and a strong government."
Addressing a rally at Chikkaballapur where Union Minister M Veerappa Moily is contesting, Modi said the need of the hour was a "strong government" in Delhi.
"...if we have a strong government at the Centre we will have a strong determination. If there is a strong government, then we will take strong steps. If we take strong steps, then the country also will become strong," Modi said.
In a sharp riposte to Janata Dal-United chief H D Deve Gowda at his rallies, Modi invited him to live in Gujarat and promised to take care of him more than his son, a day after the former PM said he would take "political sanyas" and leave Karnataka if Modi-led government came to power.
"Deve Gowdaji, you are an elderly person. You are the former PM of India. I am like your son...," he said. "I publicly promise you that if staying here has become a problem, then I pray -- you don't worry. I will make all arrangements for you in Gujarat. If you want to live in an old-age home, live in a house, farm-house or if you want to live in my house. I would render service more than your son."
