LUCKNOW/KANPUR, Jan 30: Mocking opposition parties for not naming a joint prime ministerial candidate, BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday said there will be a different PM every day of the week if their “grand alliance” comes to power.
Shah addressed booth-level workers in Lucknow and Kanpur, putting them in election mode in crucial Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha polls just months away.
He reiterated that the party was committed to the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and accused lawyers with Congress links of creating obstacles to an early verdict by the Supreme Court in the land dispute.
He also took a dig at the induction of Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s sister Priyanka Gandhi as the general secretary in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, recalling the ‘2G scam’ during the previous government’s term and saying that a “third G” has now arrived on the scene.
Shah said the opposition parties trying to form a grand alliance should name their prime ministerial candidate for the coming elections.
“If the ‘gathbandhan’ (alliance) takes shape, Mayawati will be the prime minister on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, Mamata (Banerjee) on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar on Thursday, Deve Gowda on Friday and (M K) Stalin on Saturday, and Sunday will be a holiday,” he told party workers in Kanpur, making a similar remark later in Lucknow.
“They are out to bring change and do not have a leader,” the Bharatiya Janata Party chief mocked.
He took a dig at the “mahagathbandhan”, saying the alliance being formed was such that the leaders of different parties in it were reluctant to share the dais.
“They have united because of fear of the BJP. And this indicates the BJP’s strength,” he said.
He claimed the alliance was based on casteism and corruption.
“The BJP has four Bs — ‘Badhta Bharat’ and ‘Banta Bharat’ (an India on the move),” Shah said.
“Those who are forming an alliance have four Bs — ‘bua’ (aunt), ‘bhatija’ (nephew), ‘bhai’ (brother) and ‘behen’ (sister),” he added, accusing the opposition parties of dynastic politics.
“Their government cannot take the country ahead. We want that a strong government is formed under Modiji, but they want a ‘majboor’ (helpless) government. Only Modiji can provide a ‘mazboot’ (strong) government,” he said.
“Narendra Modi is the only one who can give a strong government. They do not want a government which is run by a leader but by a dealer,” Shah said.
He said none of the Congress leaders had the right to raise the Ram Janmabhoomi issue.
“I have come to tell the people of Uttar Pradesh that the BJP is committed to ensuring that a grand temple is built at Ram Janmabhoomi,” Shah said.
He challenged the Congress to make its stand clear on the Ram temple, and accused the “lawyers of Rahul baba” of creating hindrances to an early verdict in the Supreme Court.
He also referred to the Centre’s petition in the apex court to allow the transfer of “surplus” land around the disputed site to its original owners.
He said a BJP win in the Lok Sabha elections should be such that it shakes up the opposition, “stopping heartbeats”.
Shah called upon the workers to ensure that the party gets 50 per cent of the votes at every booth to win 74 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The figure is one more than what the BJP won aong with ally Apna Dal in 2014.
“In the 2014 elections, a strong foundation for the BJP was laid. In 2017, a building was built on it and the 2019 election are an opportunity to ‘saffronise’ it,” he said.(PTI)
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