Convergence of opposition parties has led to panic in BJP: Congress

The Congress Monday claimed the next Lok Sabha election will be a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India and that the convergence of opposition parties has led to panic in the BJP.

Reacting to HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar's statement on Sunday that there would be "anarchy" without Modi at the helm of governance, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was BJP's "arrogance" that Union ministers were talking such things.

"This is going to be a fight of Modi versus India... The arrogance of PM Modi and the BJP, who claim there'll be anarchy if they are not in power, is in fact a display of fear and nervousness," he told reporters.

 

Javadekar had also said that there was no alternative to Modi and the gathering of opposition parties in Kolkata was aimed only at ousting the prime minister.

"All this is done because there is genuine terror in the hearts and minds of the BJP... The genuine terror arises from the unprecedented rainbow coalition," Singhvi said, two days after more than 20 political parties gathered in Kolkata in a show of unity against the BJP government at the Centre.

The Saturday rally was organised by TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

On Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy saying that Banerjee has all the capability to become the prime minister, Singhvi said, "I do not think Mr. Kumaraswamy means what you are trying to imply.

"The matter of prime ministership is deliberately a red-herring created by the BJP. We have many PMs but we all have a very-very strong discipline amongst us common objective which will enable decision of prime ministership."

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said Modi's recent remarks about the Opposition's proposed grand alliance and his body language proved that the prime minister was "afraid" of its unity.

He took a broad swipe at the BJP on Monday, saying the ruling party leaders used to claim that they would remain in power for 50 years but now they "fear" if they lose the 2019 general election, they might not return to power for 200 years.

His remark came in reference to BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad's statement quoting his party chief Amit Shah projecting at the BJP national executive in September that it will rule the country for 50 years.

"With the evolution of Opposition unity their body language has changed. Fear is visible. Earlier they used to say that BJP will remain in power for 50 years. Now they are saying if they lose they won't come back in power for 200 years," Patel said.

Another senior leader of the party, Anand Sharma, termed "laughable" Modi's statement that 2019 polls will be between the Opposition's wealth power and BJP's people's power.

"It negates the ground realities and is an insult to the people's judgement," he said, accusing the government of misusing public money for propaganda.

"Prime Minister ji, people have understood your false promises and hollow claims. Stop showing new dreams and give accountability for failing to fulfil the promises made," Sharma said.

Singhvi accused the government of trying to divert attention from its "failures in farm sector" and the controversy over the Rafale jet deal.

"There is indeed a financial anarchy in the country today," he claimed, alleging that there was a 72-per cent rise in bank frauds and the country's debt has increased by 50 per cent.

On BJP leaders mocking opposition alliances, Singhvi asked whether they were questioning the alliances led by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well.

"The most unethical alliance was formed in Jammu & Kashmir between BJP and PDP," he alleged.

Singhvi alleged the BJP and its ministers are trying fulfil the "I, Me, Myself syndrome of one man".

"They are, therefore, forced to become court jesters and puppets, because 'I, Me, Myself' must be freed out of them and that is the reason behind remarks like after us anarchy'," he said.

"It is this prime minister, this BJP which is lecturing us, sermonizing us on alliances. Of course, we cannot expect their memory to go back from 1977-79 when they were very happily in alliance with the Left, of course, that is Mr. Modi's dictionary called unholy alliance," he said.