MANDAR: BJP working president J P Nadda on Wednesday alleged that while the Congress promoted casteism to divide the society, the saffron party's only objective "is to serve the poor".
Addressing a poll meeting in support of party candidate Deb Kumar Dhan from Mandar (ST) constituency, Nadda said, "The Congress spreads casteism and divides the society. But the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji have only one caste-the poor and serving them."
He also took potshots at JMM, involved in the movement for the creation of the separate state of Jharkhand, joining hands with the Congress which opposed statehood.
"Now the two parties have joined hands as they want the kursi' (cm chair). They cant remain without power, and you should keep them out of power for the development of Jharkhand," Nadda exhorted the voters.
Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP to continue the developmental works in the state, Nadda said the "double-engine" governments in Delhi and Ranchi meant the state government adds additional benefits to the central schemes.
"For example, under Ujjwala Yojana, the Centre gives one gas cylinder free of cost while Jharkhand gives two free of cost cylinders along with oven; under PM-Kisan Saman Nidhi, the Centre provides Rs 6000 to farmers every year while the Jharkhand government gives up to Rs 25,000 every year to farmers, making it a maximum of Rs 31,000," Nadda said.
Listing out similar welfare schemes, the former union health minister said Jharkhand has thirty lakh BPL families while the Raghubar Das government covered 57 lakh families under the "Ayushman Bharat" scheme.
The BJP leader said India's stature in the world has grown and cited examples as to how the U.S. President Donald Trump joined pm at the "Howdy Modi" event at Houston while China President Xi Jinping met Modi at Mahabalipuram despite Washington and Beijing are not in the best of relations.
The Congress, which has an alliance with the JMM and the RJD, has fielded Sunny Toppo while Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) candidate Bandhu Tirkey and AJSU party Hemlata Oraon are among other nominees contesting the Mandar seat.
Mandar is among the 20 seats going for the second of the five-phase elections on December 7. Counting will take place on December 23.