In an apparent show of unity, LK Advani and Narendra Modi on Wednesday appeared on a public platform along with a pantheon of BJP for the first time after the declaration of party's prime ministerial candidate but cold vibes were visible between the two leaders.
Claiming a wave across the country in favour of BJP, Modi said the Congress was now talking of inclusive growth after states ruled by BJP have always performed well on this front.
Addressing a big BJP workers' congregation in Bhopal, he also attacked the UPA government, accusing it of misusing the CBI to target political opponents.
It will be the agency that will "fight" the coming assembly and Lok Sabha elections and not the Congress party, he claimed, without elaborating on it.
Notwithstanding the presence of the entire top leadership of BJP, a sense of lack of warmth between the party patriarch and the Gujarat Chief Minister was apparent as the two were not seen talking to each other.
Advani, who had sulked over the elevation of Modi by BJP Parliamentary Board recently and later appeared to have reconciled to it, was prompt in reciprocating Chouhan touching his feet as a mark of respect but gave a cold response when the Gujarat Chief Minister bent to seek his blessings.
Advani merely folded his hands without looking at him.
Earlier too, when party activists sought to bring all the top leaders for a photo-op under a huge garland of flowers, there was a gap between Advani and Modi, who beseeched Rajnath Singh to come in between.
However, after the rally ended Modi grabbed Advani's hand for a photo-op.
The two leaders chatted briefly with Advani's hand on Modi's shoulders.
In his speech, Advani said it was a matter of pride that the prime ministerial candidate chosen by the party was in their midst.
He also praised Modi's role in complete electrification of Gujarat, which was followed by Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Chief Ministers.
Witnessed by BJP's top leadership including party President Rajnath Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, Modi acknowledged that Advani was the guiding light of the party.
Attacking the UPA government, Modi said, "The Congress party is not going to field candidates in the elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi and the next Lok Sabha polls. Congress will not fight the next Lok Sabha elections but will field the CBI instead."
He said Congress should be overthrown as its government at the Centre discriminates against BJP and NDA-ruled states.
"Congress doesn't have the strength to fight us and so it has brought in the CBI. Hindustan will not forgive you. Don't forget Emergency when people picked Congress and defeated it. Now too the country will give you a befitting reply," the chief minister said.
Modi claimed Congress does not have the power to take on BJP and the people are going to punish it for their problems.
"We have to free this nation of the Congress. We have to free this nation of Congress' actions. Free the nation from the corruption of the Congress," he said and asked the crowd whether they would implement Mahatma Gandhi's last wish that the Congress party should be wound up after independence.
The crowd shouted back with a resounding yes.
"The meaning of fulfilment of Mahatma Gandhi's wish is freeing the nation of Congress, its corruption, its misdeeds, its nepotism and establishing true democracy," he said.
"All surveys are predicting a victory for us. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari," he asserted amid continual cheers of "Modi, Modi" by the crowd.
Advani, in his speech, said, "Today if BJP has reached this place in Indian politics it is not because of eloquent speeches but the hard work and penance of party workers. We will not win elections merely on the basis of speeches but on the basis of the work done by us."
With crowds chanting Modi's name, Advani ended his brief speech.
Comments
0 comment