 "Gujarat polls: Congress is blaming EVMs to save face, says PM Modi")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Congress has "lost" in Gujarat's first round of Assembly elections and its leaders were blaming Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) as the reason.
"Congress has lost in the first round and are not even thinking about the second round as they know people here will support BJP. They have now taken to excuses. Their leaders and cheerleaders are blaming EVMs, including saying they are hacked using Bluetooth," Modi said while addressing a public rally in Patan.
The voter turnout in the first phase for 89 seats on Saturday stood at 68 per cent. The second and final phase for remaining 93 seats will be held on December 14. Vote counting will be held on December 18.
Modi also told the gathering that BJP leaders were the ones who came to their rescue when their villages were submerged in the recent floods.
"When this area was flooded, the Chief Minister, former Chief Minister, Ministers came and stood with people here. The Prime Minister reviewed the situation. Tell me where were Congress people then. Congress MLAs were enjoying in resorts in Bengaluru," he said.
Taking a jibe at Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's 'potato to gold' statement, Modi said "Our farmers work hard and grow potato. If at all the Congress comes to power, there will be no need to do that because their leader says we will produce potatoes in factories. Congress' basic knowledge about agriculture is so poor."