AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi coined yet another slogan to get back at the Congress – ‘latakna, latkaana aur bhatkaana (stall, delay and mislead)’ -- in his election rally in Kankrej village of Banaskantha district. The voting for the second phase of Gujarat polls is due on December 5.
The PM said those who looted the poor in the country were now abusing him for putting an end to corruption. He accused Congress of stalling the development of Gujarat for decades. “The Congress has come to be known for ‘latkana, latkaana aur bhatkana’. Whatever the work, the Congress sees its own interest first, and the interest of the country later,” said Modi.
Blaming the Congress for its failure to understand the problems faced by farmers, he said many irrigation projects were stalled by Congress leaders. “These works were completed after the BJP took over,” he said.
The PM alleged that the previous Congress governments never bothered to bring the Narmada river water to the parched regions of Gujarat. “Congress busied itself in scams. It had made corruption a virtue,” he said.
“Since Congress leaders received kickbacks in relief works. People didn’t get even water because Congress leaders knew that if water was supplied, their illegal income will dry up,” said the PM. Later in the afternoon, addressing a public meeting at Patan, PM said the country is confident that no matter how big the challenges are only the BJP would find solutions.
Around the same time, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally at north Gujarat’s Aravali’s Bhiloda, and again targeted the Prime Minister. “He (Modi) says the Congress and the opposition give him two kilos of ‘gaali’ every day. However, you can’t even digest food without abusing Congress,” said Kharge.
“You (BJP leaders) insult our people in quintals -- it’s sometime me, sometime Rahul Gandhi, and at times Sonia Gandhi. But, we don’t say anything,” said Kharge Attacking AAP, Kharge said vote for that party would mean helping the BJP.