DHANBAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the electorate in Jharkhand to give a decisive mandate to BJP for a strong and stable government in the state and not opt for a coalition as "thekedars" (contractors) will then enjoy all power. Modi also accused the Opposition parties of needlessly targeting his government, saying they have run out of issues.
"Jharkhand needs stable government. This time don't make a mistake. Elect a strong BJP government. If you vote for a majority government then the reins of power will be in the hands of the people, but (in the event of a) coalition government reins will go in the hands of thekedars," Modi told an election meeting here.
Dhanbad goes to polls in the fourth phase on December 14. He said, "You have done this for the country, will you not do it for the sake of Jharkhand ?... Coalition governments in the country have given power in the hands of 'thekedars' and you know what they have done to the country and the states for so many years."
"In the Lok Sabha elections, you have rejected the opposition," he said while hoping that people would reject them again in the ensuing state assembly elections.
Hitting out at the opposition, he said "These days leaders of opposition parties are very upset. They have to campaign for the sake of their survival and are going to Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir too. But they don't have any issues against the Modi government. They are repeating their speeches made during the Lok Sabha elections. There is bankruptcy of issues for opposition."
Referring to abundance of coal in Jharkhand, Modi said, "You are siting on black diamond. Don’t you like to see it sparkle? But who will make the black diamonds sparkle? "Modi is ready for it, but Jharkhand has to give an opportunity to him to utilise the mineral-resources in the development of the state and the country."
The Prime Minister said his government's policies will help the mineral-rich state progress fast and reap benefits of its coal reserves.
On the coal scam and the Supreme Court verdict on it, Modi said though it came as a "blow" and "pained" the government, it was taken up as an "opportunity" to improve things.