BJP leader Ananth Kumar today claimed the 2014 Lok Sabha elections would be a watershed with his party getting a clear majority.
He said, the mood in India was similar to 1977 when the country faced elections after the imposition of emergency by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
"The BJP's slogan in the ensuing election will be 'Congress Muktha Bharat' (Free India from Congress) as the Congress party has ruined the nation with arrogance and authoritarianism," Kumar alleged.
"We ask the people to compare (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee government's track record with that of Manmohan Singh's and come to a clear decision. The basic issue before the nation is one of good governance and development. India witnessed a golden era for six years under Atalji's dispensation but in the last nine years UPA has led the nation into dark ages," he claimed.
"Under Atalji's tenure there was eight per cent growth rate and we kept inflation down at three per cent. Economy was robust and vibrant due to visionary leadership of Vajpayee. All the three in-house economists India has ever produced - Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Montek Singh Ahluwalia - are responsible for nation's current financial mess and should own the responsibility," Kumar said.
India has come a long way since 1977 and there is an overall awareness thanks to social media, television and literacy, he said.
Kumar alleged that Congress was trying to fight the election by raising bogey of secularism and communalism.
"BJP wants to fight polls on agenda of good governance and we will take the agenda and force the Congress to come for a national debate on the issue of development. This time the mantra is unity in activity at all levels and leaders and cadres will be united," Kumar said.
"There are no contenders and no competition for the post of Prime Minister as clarified by (BJP President) Rajnath Singh. Whenever we approach the bridge we will cross it and the parliamentary board will decide the candidate and we are not running away from the question," Kumar said in an apparent reference to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
