Modi praises Raman Singh, challenges Congress to name Chhattisgarh CM candidate

Accusing the Congress Party of seeking to form a government in Chhattisgarh via the backdoor, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, on Thursday, challenged the latter to openly name its chief ministerial candidate for the state.

Praising the achievements of incumbent BJP Chief Minister Raman Singh durng the last ten years, Modi, who was addressing a BJP rally in Bemetara, urged the people of the state to vote for the 'lotus' symbol, i.e the BJP, for a third consecutive term in office.

"Make the BJP win with a thumping majority. People of Chhattisgarh, the media wants the Congress to declare and name it's CM candidate for Chhattisgarh. I would like to ask the Congress as to why is it trying to achieve power (in the state) through backdoor entry? Why is the Congress silent and not talking about the hardships it has caused? What is troubling the Congress that it is not naming its CM candidate? What is preventing the Congress from revealing this? Why is not happy with the development taking place in Chhattisgarh under Raman Singh's leadership," asked Modi.

Without naming Congress leader Ajit Jogi, Modi opined that if the Congress did name Jogi as its chief ministerial candidate, it knew it would lose in the state assembly elections.

"Who is the Congress CM candidate? Conduct a sting operation, or ask them privately, and they will name Ajit Jogi, why hide?," he asked.

He urged the people of Chhattisgarh to vote for development and Raman Singh.

"The country has decided, we (the BJP) will form the government in Delhi in 2014. That is why they (the Congress and the UPA Government) sought to put a ban on opinion polls. Look how scared they are," said Modi

"They are so scared, this is the reason for the ban on opinion polls," he added.

"Chhattisgarh has suffered because of Delhi. In 2014, there will be NDA rule in Delhi," Modi further said.