Gujarat Assembly elections 2017: PM Modi accuses Congress of spreading lies

Rahul Gandhi says strong undercurrent for his party

On the last day of campaigning for the Gujarat Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress of spreading “lies” about Gujarat and its economic growth. Congress President-elect Rahul Gandhi said there was a strong undercurrent in favour of his party.

Modi said it was natural for every Gujarati to feel hurt, and people of Gujarat will give a fitting reply to the negativity and lies of the Opposition. In a series of tweets, he said victory for BJP is a guarantee for a bright future. “With the Government of India and government of Gujarat working together, the strength rises manifold. This one plus one is not 2 but 11 and together we will take Gujarat to new heights,” he said.

Both, Modi and Rahul Gandhi, were denied permission to hold public events in Ahmedabad because of security reasons. The PM flew in a seaplane from the Sabarmati Riverfront to highlight the development that has taken place in Gujarat in the 22-year of BJP rule in the state. The Congress President-elect held a press conference in Ahmedabad. Rahul Gandhi said the kind of comments Mani Shankar Aiyar used for PM cannot be “tolerated”, but the PM’s comments for former Manmohan Singh were “unacceptable”.

The polling for the remainder 93 of the 182 seats of the Gujarat Assembly is on Thursday. The polling for 89 seats took place in the first phase on December 9. The counting of votes for both the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections is on December 18.

In his press conference, Rahul Gandhi said the PM no longer talked about corruption in his speeches, and has failed to reply to the Congress’s questions on the alleged irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and BJP chief Amit Shah’s son’s business dealings. “There is (zabardast) tremendous undercurrent (against the BJP). Be it Patidars, OBCs, Dalits, farmers....all are angry. Public mood has undergone ‘zabardast’ change. The Congress will win the election....the results will be ‘zabardast’,” Rahul Gandhi said.

In his first press conference after being elected the president of his party, Rahul Gandhi said his objective in his new job would be to strengthen the party organisation. He said the BJP’s policies have benefitted a handful of industrialists. "Narendra Modiji is my political opponent. He speaks many wrong things about me. But as he is the prime minister of the country, not a single bad word will come out of my mouth for him,” he said, adding that he would strive to change the political discourse, which has become “ugly and nasty” and “atmosphere is filled with anger”.

On his frequent temple visits, Rahul Gandhi said: “Mandir jana mana hai kya (Am I not allowed to visit temple)?”  “Earlier, I had gone to Kedarnath. Is Kedarnath in Gujarat? This is the BJP's propaganda against me.” Rahul Gandhi started his day by offering prayers at the famous Lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad.

In Nagpur, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar criticised the PM for his allegations against Singh. "Shame on you Prime Minister for making such allegations! You have made the allegations against this country's former prime minister (Manmohan Singh) and former defence officials," Pawar, a former defence minister, said.

Pawar participated in a joint Congress-NCP public rally in Nagpur, where he appealed to farmers in Maharashtra not to pay outstanding loan or other dues, like electricity charges, until Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state doesn’t fulfill its farm debt waiver promise.

The NCP, under Praful Patel, has fielded 72-candidates in Gujarat. In an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Shiv Sena said of the PM’s comments: "When sand below the feet starts moving, Pakistan and Dawood chanting begins. It is happening today as well.”