'Family-ruled' TRS and Congress playing 'friendly match' in Telangana: Modi
Nizamabad, Nov 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday accused the TRS and Congress of perpetuating family rule and said the two parties were playing a "friendly match" in Telangana elections.
Reaffirming the BJP's commitment to inclusive growth, Modi, addressing his first election rally in the state, said vote bank politics has harmed development like "termites".
"The chief minister of Telangana and his family thinks they can get away with doing no work like the Congress....
They have adopted the style of the Congress which ruled for 50-52 years without doing anything. But that cannot happen now," he told an election rally in Nizamabad, as he took the poll battle to caretaker CM K Chandrasekhar Rao's turf.
Nizamabad is represented by Rao's daughter K Kavitha in the Lok Sabha.
Recalling that Rao had served as a minister in the UPA government, Modi said the TRS chief did his "apprenticeship" under the Congress.
"Congress and TRS are two faces of the same coin. Both parties are competing against each other on who tells more lies.
"TRS and Congress are family-ruled parties playing a friendly match in Telangana polls," he said, adding it was a "big joke" that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi assailed the TRS for being a "family party" at an election rally last week.
The prime minister said Rao's decision to go for early elections could give people an opportunity to "get rid of him before time".
He said Rao did not join Ayushman Bharat scheme under which the Centre would bear medical expenses of the poor to the extent of Rs five lakh a year because of his feeling of insecurity.
"This chief minister feels so insecure...he trusts astrologers, does puja, ties nimbu-mirchi (to ward of evil).
So when we introduced Ayushman Bharat Yojana, he decided not to join it. He feared people will reject him if Modicare comes into force. He did injustice to the poor people of the state," Modi said.
Amid reports that the Congress was preparing a manifesto that would envisage separate schools and hospitals for Muslims, Modi said the only Mantra that the BJP followed was "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" and was against vote bank politics.
"BJP has just just one Mantra- Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. We believe in inclusive growth. Vote bank politics has damaged development like termite," he said.
Development, he said, was a casualty wherever vote bank politics and politics of casteism, communalism and nepotism have flourished.
He said those who believe in development, building new India and new Telangana trust BJP most.
Accusing the TRS government of not keeping its promises made to youth, farmers, dalits, tribals and backward classes, Modi asked the voters to teach the party a lesson.
Modi said the chief minister had once asserted he would transform Nizamabad into a smart city like London but the place was still grappling with shortage of water, electricity and proper roads.
"The CM once said he would reach water of the Godavari river to each household or else will not seek votes. Has it happened? The man who cannot provide people with even water doesn't deserve to be given power," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Surjewala attacks Centre on LPG cylinder crisis, asks BJP how it will face voters
Bengaluru (PTI): Attacking the Narendra Modi-led government in the centre over the LPG cylinder crisis in the country, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday asked the BJP, how will it go to the voters in poll-bound states.
Claiming that the country was facing a "huge crisis", he attacked the centre over the depreciation of the Indian rupee to Rs 93 against the US dollar, terming it "worrisome" for both the economy and employment.
Surjewala, who is also the party in charge of Karnataka, said that during the tenure of Manmohan Singh as PM, Modi had said that the "prestige of the prime minister falls when the value of the rupee declines". Then the value of the Indian Rupee against the USD was at Rs 54 for a dollar.
Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that despite the current situation, the government and the BJP remained "on mute mode", while ordinary households, small dhabas, restaurants and eateries were facing a severe crisis with a shortage of both commercial and domestic gas.
"Today, the Indian rupee has fallen to 93 rupees to a dollar, but the BJP, Prime Minister Modi and their government remains on a mute mode. Ordinary households, small dhabas and restaurants, and small eateries feel the crisis today. No commercial gas is available, no domestic gas is available," he claimed.
The Congress leader alleged that people were buying gas cylinders in black at Rs 1,300.
"At this price, we will have to employ a security guard to protect every cylinder in India," he said sarcastically and alleged that the BJP is not taking responsibility for the situation.
He further alleged that the Centre had raised the price of domestic gas twice and commercial gas thrice, and also increased the price of premium petrol and diesel.
"Tomorrow you will again raise the price of petrol and diesel. What should the ordinary Indian do? Does the BJP have any answer? Do they even have a right to go and seek votes?" he asked.
While Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry are facing Assembly polls, two seats in Karnataka -- Davangere South and Bagalkote -- will go for by-elections.
Speaking to reporters here, Surjewala demanded answers from BJP leaders and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy.
"We demand from Kumarswamy why he is keeping mum? Why are they quiet? Price of commercial gas goes up three times, price of domestic gas goes up two times, price of premium petrol and diesel goes up, price of petrol and diesel is about to go up," he said.
Alleging that while the unemployment rate for graduates in India is 67 per cent and the artificial intelligence revolution is leading to loss of jobs in India, he alleged that the BJP does only communal politics.
The Congress leader asserted that the BJP had no right to seek votes until it answered these questions.
