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BJP vice president Smriti Irani on Sunday made it clear that she was willing to contest from Amethi against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi if her party gave her the mandate.
Irani, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat also took a dig at Congress-led UPA government, particularly, union finance minister P Chidambaram for ‘mismanaging’ the country’s economy.
“The BJP’s parliamentary board and election committee decides on the candidates for the Lok Sabha seat. I am honoured that my name is doing rounds for the Amethi seat. But let me make it clear that whatever responsibility that party assigns me I will execute it with full heart,” Irani said when asked if she would contest from Amethi seat.
Earlier, names of Uma Bharti and Irani were doing round as probable candidates from Rai Bareily and Amethi respectively. Bharti’s name has now been announced from Jhansi.
Taking on the UPA government, the BJP vice president said, “When UPA came to power the Congress leadership and particularly Chidambaram accepted that Atal Bihari Vajpaee led NDA had left behind a robust economy. Sadly today when the UPA leaves office it leaves behind a legacy of an economy that has been mismanaged, growth that has slipped down from 8.6 per cent to a mere 4 per cent.”
Inflation, negative growth, mismanaged economy are the challenges that the UPA leaves behind for new government, she added.
Irani said that the situation in country is such, people are saying that under the UPA rule people have not benefitted but only a few select leaders of the ruling party. “Some of the stalwarts of the UPA especially the Congress are not contesting Lok Sabha elections. One of them is Chaidambaram himself. Question arises is that will Congress leader like Chidambaram who is not fighting election today, be answerable to the people of India for opportunities squandered away because of the misrule of Congress led UPA.”
“If we see some members of his families have benefitted from some of the scams where links to his family have come out,” she further alleged.
Irani also brought up the issue of policy paralysis, which has stalled India's growth.
"UPA government has admitted in Parliament that projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore are stalled due to policy paralysis," claimed Irani.
"Today Narendra Modi has emerged as our hope. Given the overwhelming response he is receiving in rallies, we are sure that NDA will form a strong government and bring the economy back on track," she expressed.
To a question on Gujarat being heavily under debt, Irani put the blame on UPA while alleging that the Centre was not supporting states having BJP government.
"UPA government is not supporting BJP-led state governments. Gujarat is yet to receive Rs 4,000 crore as sales tax and more than Rs 5,000 crore under the mid-day meal program from the Centre. Since UPA is not giving that money, state government is spending it from its own treasury," said Irani.
She also claimed that Gujarat is the only state which never took an over draft (OD) to meet the expenses.
She assured that if the BJP-led NDA came to power they will jump start and rejuvenate the Indian economy.
