GWALIOR (MP): BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday sought to project the forthcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan as a contest between “individual-centric” parties and those driven by ideologies.
He said the elections in the three states can “change the nation”.
Addressing a convention of youths here, the Bharatiya Janata Party chief said the parties that lack leadership and policies cannot provide a stable government.
“Upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will prove to be ones that can change the nation because the contest will decide whether people elect parties which are individual-centric or those driven by ideology,” Shah said in an apparent reference to political dynasties.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in the next two months in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.
While first three of the above states are currently ruled by the BJP, the Congress is in power in the northeastern state. Telangana was ruled by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) before Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao dissolved the assembly. Lok Sabha elections are slated to be held next year.
“How is it possible for these parties to provide a strong government when they don’t have any leader and even their policies are not yet decided,” Shah said.
Targetting the Congress, he said the only agenda of that party is “Modi Hatao” (defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi) in contrast to the PM’s goal of “eradicating poverty and corruption” from the country.
He said the BJP is the only party where an ordinary worker can go on to become a prime minister or a chief minister of a state.
“This is the reason why a tea-seller has become the prime minister of our country… Is this possible in Congress, BSP or SP? The main aim of the opposition parties is to make their sons and daughters an MLA or an MP and there is no place for an ordinary worker to claim these positions,” he said.
Shah said most political parties in the country lacked “democracy”. “How can leaders of such parties will protect democracy of the nation?” he asked.
“In such a scenario, there is no possibility of any development in the country. The Congress ruled for 55 years but failed to usher in development,” Shah said.
Referring to the prime minister’s ambitious schemes that are aimed at providing power and toilets in every village of the country, Shah said the Modi government is working hard to fulfil this objective.
Before addressing the convention, Shah visited memorials of Rani Lakshmibai and Vijayaraje Scindia, popularly known as ‘Rajmata’. The Scindia family had ruled Gwalior state during the pre-independence period.
“Those people who lived for the country can only inspire the youth,” he said.
Referring to the 2016 Uri attack and subsequent surgical strike, Shah said, “Within 10 days of the attack at (the Army camp in) Uri, Indian soldiers entered Pakistan and killed terrorists”.
Shah said Madhya Pradesh was brought out of BIMARU tag and turned into a developed state by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The BJP chief also took potshots at the state Congress which is known to be a divided house.
“The Congress has not yet decided on its chief ministerial face while in the BJP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan will become a chief minister again,” he said.
Similarly, it is not yet clear who will be the Opposition leader in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but Narendra Modi will become prime minister again from the BJP, he said.
Earlier in the day, Shah addressed party workers in Shivpuri and conducted a roadshow in Guna, the Lok Sabha constituency of senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. PTI
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