After Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, it is now senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley who has retorted to Congress president Sonia Gandhi's remarks on Gujarat farmers' plight. Gandhi, during her visit on Friday had remarked that the Modi government was ignoring the welfare of poor and farmers.
To this, Jaitley on Saturday said, "Yesterday we were asked what have we done for the Gujarat farmers. But it is actually the UPA which has been the real bane for Gujarat farmers. UPA is the reason for highest rise in diesel prices, fertilizer prices, LPG prices and corruption."
Jaitley was in Gujarat on Saturday for election campaigning. Gandhi had also attacked Modi on his claims on development in the state and non-use of Centre's funds, to which Jaitley said, "Congress claims to be funding projects in Gujarat. But it is a progressive state and Gujarat's people's taxes are running the Centre. Hence, it is the Centre's prerogative to give back to Gujarat's people for their taxes. The Centre is not obliged by doing this."
Taking a dig at the Congress' manifesto, Jaitley said that unlike earlier the current manifesto features brand ambassadors instead of any major political leaders from within the party.
Likening the announcement of a leader to cricket game, Jaitley said, "Congress is in a confused state. In cricket, it is the selectors who announce the name of the captain. In Congress, selectors are clueless. Till how long will they hide the name of the political leader pitched against Modi this elections?"
Gandhi addressed a rally in Mandvi in south Gujarat where the Congress president where all the central funds for the state had vanished. During her visit on Friday, Gandhi covered areas that will vote in the first phase of the assembly elections on December 13.
However, further in his retort, Jaitley said, "BJP has a proven track record in Gujarat. Time and again our decision making and governance has been proved here. This elections we will not only establish the government here again but we will exceed and improve our past performance."