Former BJP president Nitin Gadkari today alleged that the role of regional parties in Jharkhand would be of bargaining and voting for them was like supporting "corruption and price rise" witnessed during the UPA regime at the Centre.
"Regional parties in Jharkhand have nothing to do... They only know bargaining and nothing else," he said, claiming it was a direct fight between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led UPA in the ensuing elections.
Gadkari, however, quickly amended his statement when reminded about BJP's formation of governments with regional parties in Jharkhand and having truck with other regional parties elsewhere in the country, and said his comments were in the context of crucial issues like good governance and development at the Centre.
"I am not here to comment on regional parties. What I meant is, it is a direct fight between the NDA and the UPA... the BJP and the Congress. So voting for Congress is like supporting corruption and price rise," Gadkari said at a press conference here.
"The BJP's priority is good governance, all round development without any discrimination and it will never indulge in vindictive politics," he said, adding there would not be any discrimination on the lines of religion, caste and language as the party was above them.
"It is the Congress which kept Muslims under-developed during the last 60 years by instilling a fear psychosis in them, while we are talking about uplifting them and providing higher education and employment opportunities," he said.
Gadkari, who was in Jharkhand to address poll meetings ahead of the April 24 third and final phase elections in the state for four seats, also accused the Congress of emptying foreign exchange coffers, increasing Left-Wing Extremism and terror attacks in cities.
BJP's endeavour was good governance, bringing administrative reforms to improve accountability, controlling price in six months and aiming to reach eight per cent growth rate if the party came to power, he said.
"I have completed a 650-page vision document. After elections, the party will discuss on it," he added.
