Nearly 45 days after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared, the ruling BJP in Gujarat Monday passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly hailing the party's huge mandate under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting the Congress to question the focus as well as the timing of the move.
The resolution stated that the 'Narendra Modi Tsunami' has decimated the Opposition and taught a lesson to the Congress, which won only 52 seats.
Taking a strong exception to the comments made by state Home Minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja while tabling the resolution under rule 120 of the House, Congress legislators termed it as "arrogance".
Through the resolution, the BJP MLAs urged the state government "to participate in the process of nation building to realise the aspirations of the people of the state and the nation, following the formation of a full majority government at the Centre".
Jadeja said the people have rejected the Congress' negative politics and taught the Opposition party a lesson by giving it only 52 seats.
"Modi 'tsunami' has decimated the Opposition. This was the victory of nationalism. People rejected the politics of appeasement and embraced the politics of development. The UPA wound up in just 86 seats. The Congress cannot even open its account in 17 states. Nine of their former chief ministers and many senior leaders lost in the elections," Jadeja said, adding that even Rahul Gandhi lost from Amethi with a margin of over 45,000 votes.
He said Gujarat was meted with injustice by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government which stalled projects like the Sardar Sarovar dam and AIIMS.
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"Narendra Modi as PM resolved many such issues of Gujarat and other states immediately after assuming office for the first time in 2014," said Jadeja.
Countering Jadeja, Congress MLA CJ Chavda said the resolution reflects "arrogance" of the ruling party.
"Instead of a sense of service, I see arrogance of the ruling party in this resolution. It is not proper on the part of the BJP to claim that the past Congress governments did nothing. People still remember Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi for their works. People still remember the sacrifices Congress leaders had made," said Chavda.
Senior Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar listed several achievements of previous governments under the then prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
"Let me tell you what the Congress did for this country. The Congress made our armed forces the strongest in the world. Our governments gave atomic power stations, ISRO, AIIMS, IITs, large industries and missile technology. It was Indira Gandhi who broke Pakistan in two pieces and annexed Sikkim in India. It was Rajivji who brought computer revolution," said Parmar.
Questioning the timing of the resolution, another senior Congress leader Punja Vansh said it would have been better had the resolution reflected the issues being faced by the people of Gujarat.
"What is the purpose of bringing this resolution? It has been two months since the election results were declared. You have already celebrated you victory many a times. You should instead discuss burning issues of the state," said Vansh.
Without the consent of Congress MLAs, the resolution was passed with a majority vote.