BALASORE/KEONJHAR/TALCHER, Apr 11: Alluding to the huge turnout of people in the Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi today said it suggested that his responsibility was increasing and hit out at the UPA government at the Centre and the BJD government in Odisha.
“It seems from the trend visible in elections and your affection, which was visible in the polling booths of Odisha yesterday, that my responsibilities are increasing. It is especially so towards you,” the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate told a series of election meetings in Odisha.
With BJP being seen as the principle challenger to the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD in Odisha instead of Congress, he said “You have showered love toward me and I will return it with dividend. Though I am born in Lord Somnath’s land, I have no less affection toward the people in the land of Lord Jagannath.”
Ten Lok Sabha seats in the state went to polls yesterday and the remaining 11 constituencies would vote on April 17.
Modi said, “As a politician I can understand the mood of people. The people across the country are for complete change of government and teach the people in power in Delhi a lesson.
“I congratulate people who voted in large numbers yesterday despite a severe heatwave. Going by the mood of voters, I can now claim that Congress cannot open its account,” he said.
Criticising BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik’s lack of ability to speak, read and write Odia language, Modi wondered how the people had tolerated him for 15 years.
“The man who does not understand your language, feel your miseries and pain, cannot give you a good government,” Modi said.
“Does your CM meet you? Do you need such people? … You have tolerated a person for 15 years who does not understand your language. You have given Madam Sonia 10 years in the Centre and this government 15 years, give me 60 months,” he said, attacking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
“Gandhiji had a dream. He wanted dissolution of Congress and now people should help me in ousting it in order to establish a corruption-free country,” Modi said.
Alleging that the UPA government was guided by ‘black magic’, Modi said everything from coal to employment opportunities, disappeared and the people must get rid of the Congress.
Alleging that scams occurred in Odisha also, but were overshadowed by bigger ones at the Centre, Modi said “Though the state’s ‘beimani’ (betrayal) toward people did not come to the fore because of the larger corruption of the UPA government, they are not less dangerous.”
Congress, he charged, used the poor as an election tool and chanted their name during elections, but the BJP was avowed to serving them.
Apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi, he said “The Congress leaders chant poor, poor and poor when there are elections. Poverty is a slogan … A state of mind for them and they have made poverty tourism material.
“There are people for whom the poor are a election slogan, state of mind and tourism,” he said.
“They go to the homes of the poor like you go to Kedarnath and Badrinath on a pilgrimage. They go with the media and to ensure good photographs, they polish off the meal of the poor,” he said.
Modi said he would change Odisha like he did Gujarat.
“You have tolerated Madam Sonia Gandhi for 10 years and Naveen for 15 years. There is no need to tolerate them any longer. You have given them (Congress) 60 years, just allow me 60 months, I promise to bring change in the life of all,” the BJP leader said.
Referring to the coal belt of Talcher in Angul district, Modi said despite the presence of coal in abundance, the condition of the people was pathetic.
“Gujarat has no coal reserve, but the state is power surplus, while vast parts of Odisha face severe power crisis,” he said.
About Keonjhar, he lamented that people in the mineral-rich district were leading a miserable life due to absence of basic amenities like drinking water because of lack of vision on the part of leaders.
The area remain backward as people had not elected proper representatives, he said.
Hopeful of Odisha scripting history, Modi claimed that the state would spring a miracle by rejecting both BJD and Congress.
“I know the kamal (lotus) is in your head and heart, but that kamal should reach your fingers while voting,” he said. (PTI)
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