In show of strength, BJP holds rallies in 89 Gujarat constituencies
The campaigning comes a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to the state, during which he is scheduled to hold eight rallies.
In a massive show of strength, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) addressed rallies in 89 assembly constituencies of Gujarat on Friday in the run up the assembly elections that start on December 1. BJP president J P Nadda, chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityanath), Madhya Pradesh (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) and Assam (Himanta Biswa Sarma) and as many as 15 Union ministers were among those who addressed rallies across the state.
The campaigning comes a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to the state, during which he is scheduled to hold eight rallies.
At his rallies in Morbi and Surat, Adityanath was welcomed by bulldozers — an apparent reference of the UP government’s drive to bulldoze illegal encroachments in the state.
Speaking in Wakaner, which comes under the Morbi constituency, he mounted an attack on the Congress. “Mahatma Gandhi wanted the Congress dissolved after Independence, it’s time now to immerse the party in Narmada, because the party cannot give development, prosperity, security and global prestige to the country; can’t respect your faith and be part of your joys and sorrows; and prefers terrorism to nationalism,” said the UP CM.
Last month, 135 people were killed when a suspension bridge on the Machchu river in Morbi collapsed. Adityanath’s mentioned the tragedy in his speech.
“ From UP, the home of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, I’ve come to the land of Lord Krishna, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and Narendra Modi. I’m saddened by the Morbi tragedy. After the catastrophe, the Gujarat administration carried out rescue and relief activities well under the PM’s supervision and with the support of people like Kantibhai Amrutiya (the party’s candidate for the constituency), who risked his life to save so many lives from drowning.”
He added that the state had emerged as a model of development, security, peace and harmony, welfare of the poor and ease of living when Prime Minister Modi was the chief minister of the state.
“It is because of PM Modi’s belief and efforts that the 500-year-long wait for the Ram temple is soon going to end with the construction of a grand temple in Ayodhya, which will be the national temple of the country. Not, only that Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham have also been renovated under PM Modi’s leadership. Could you imagine a Ram temple during Congress rule? What the party could not do in 55 years, BJP did in just five. That’s why people say ‘Modi hai to mumkin hai’ ”, he remarked.
His counterpart from MP, Chouhan, addressed a rally in Mandvi town, 380 kilometres from Ahmedabad.
He also attacked the Congress saying that thousands of people laid down their lives during the freedom struggle but the party highlighted the contribution of only one family. “India became Independent after thousands of freedom fighters laid down their lives. But the Congress never recognised their sacrifice and taught people that only one family helped India gain independence,” he said.
On the other hand, BJP chief Nadda’s address in Ankleshwar had mention of the country’s first home minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel. “Sardar Patel is known as the ‘Iron Man of India’ and he was a driving force. Similarly, PM Modi is the man who laid the foundation of new India and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India),” he said.
Hailing the country’s Covid-19 vaccination drive, Nadda said: “Even now, a large section of people in America and Europe are not vaccinated. India under the leadership of PM Modi, the government has provided ‘Suraksha Kawach’ to every citizen.”
Meanwhile, chief minister Bhupendra Patel, while speaking in support of Tankara seat contende rDurlabhji Dethariya, said the Congress had been reduced to a regional party. “We have continued on the development path chartered by Narendra Modi and have not allowed any lapses. The Congress has now been reduced to a regional party. Impressed by the leadership of the BJP and accepting the policies of the state government, the Congress legislators and workers are quitting the party,” he said.
Expressing confidence on winning the 2022 elections Patel said, “In the coming days, the remaining work of development is going to be sanctioned and its public dedication program will indeed be carried out by us (BJP).. the Lotus is going to sweep the elections with massive leads.”Reacting to the criticism, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said: “It’s meaningless to talk about BJP when India’s history is concerned... the party never had anything to do with the freedom struggle ... apart from them, entire country was fighting the British. My advise to the UP CM is to spend some time on reading history.”