Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Thursday rubbished the Congress Party's claims that the BJP Government in Chhattisgarh has misused funds allocated to it by the Centre for various projects.
"Madam (Sonia Gandhi) and Shehzada (Prince Rahul Gandhi) came here, and said 'we gave money' (to Chhattisgarh Government). I want to ask the Shehzada (Rahul Gandhi), did the money come from his 'Mama's (uncle's) house?" Modi asked.
Accusing the Congress and its leadership of leaving the people of the state, and indeed the country, hungry, Modi said those making fun of the poor, only remember them, come and speak before them when its time to get votes.
Getting specific about the economic crisis dogging a majority of the nation's population, the Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader said that it was all very well to say that 300 grams of onions could now be purchased for Rs.26, but the Congress is ignoring a basic fact, and that is, that only people who have Rs.26, can actually buy 300 grams of onions.
He said that according to Sonia Gandhi, these were the people who were well off, if not rich.
He further went on to say that Sonia Gandhi and her Congress Party were stealing food from the mouths of the poor, and added that the people of India were now seeking answers and solutions for their probelems from the ruling regime.
He also questioned as to why there was no 24x7 electricity in the national capital New Delhi, when his state-Gujarat-had that facility, even in the villages.
Modi was responding to Sonia Gandhi's claim that the BJP-led Chhattisgarh Government has not paid any attention to development of the state.
She also accused the government for failing to provide adequate healthcare facilities for women and children.
"The development of Chhattisgarh during the rule of BJP has deteriorated. The Central Government has allocated crores of rupees for the development of the state, but even then children here are suffering from malnutrition. The Chhattisgarh Government has not given required attention to development, law and order is in shambles, and women are unsafe," she said at a rally on Tuesday.
"Women are not getting adequate healthcare facilities, and there is lack of education infrastructure. In rural Chhattisgarh there are no signs of roads or electricity. How do these people have the audacity to make tall claims?" she questioned.
Chhattisgarh, which witnessed a voter turnout of 67 percent in its first phase on Monday, will go into its second phase of polls on November 19, for the remaining 72 constituencies.
