As both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi kickstarted their campaigns for the assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra on Saturday, it was a role reversal of sorts as compared to the Lok Sabha campaign. While Modi highlighted his government’s achievements at the Centre, Sonia targeted the BJP for failing to fulfill its promises. ALSO READ: In Maharashtra, PM Modi hits back at Sonia, says Cong, NCP are ‘bhrastacharvadi’ Modi claimed his government had improved relations with China, Japan and the United States and got a road link opened to Kailash Mansarovar also. “The entire world is now looking up to India. Our country was always there. Why didn’t anybody talk about us so much before? Why are countries like China, Japan, USA talking about India now? Why has our nation’s respect and popularity increased globally? It is not because of me, it is because of all of you, who gave a stable government in Delhi. This magic has been done by all the people of this country,” said Modi. ALSO READ: Narendra Modi seeks ‘Congress mukt Haryana’, clear mandate for state’s development “If you want Haryana to be known globally, the first condition is that it should be a Congress-free Haryana, second is that there should be a stable government in the state, and third is that the state government should let Modi work for you,” he said in Karnal, urging people to ensure a BJP government in the state. “Kailash Mansarovar was always there, pilgrims used to go there in limited numbers, people would get killed. The Congress governments could not do anything in this regard. We managed to convince China and got a road link opened to Kailash, which people can now use, “ he said. Modi also talked about his government’s Jan Dhan Scheme and Swachh Bharat campaign. While he targeted the state government on “land scams”, Modi also attacked the INLD. In a reference to BJP president Amit Shah’s earlier remark comparing the INLD to “goondas”, Modi said, “There were times when goondas (goons) used to come to people’s houses, grab their homes, and extort money. If you want to get rid of such things, you need to give me an opportunity.” Criticising Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s “Haryana No. 1” slogan, Modi sais, “Haryana ranks 22 in literacy, 18 in employment, 9 in GDP, 8 in per capita income. Who is responsible for these rankings?” Meanwhile, addressing a rally in Meham, Sonia accused the BJP of “misleading” voters and failing to fulfil its promises after coming to power at the Centre. “During elections, some political parties use different ways to mislead voters. Less than four months ago, false dreams and empty promises were shown to you. What is happening now? Has inflation decreased? Is the price of each meal reduced for the poor? Are there more jobs? 100 days have passed, where is the promise of bringing back black money?” said Sonia, urging voters to think from their “mind and not heart”. Addressing the well-attended rally, Sonia said the BJP was behaving as if no work had been done in the country since independence. “The BJP believes in taking credit for work done by others. When they were in the opposition, they made fun of our programmes and are now renaming all our programmes and taking credit for them,” she said, adding, “those who shout don’t speak the truth”. “Those who practice politics of extortion, fear, caste and religion cannot give development,” Sonia said. The assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra on October 15 are particularly crucial for the Congress, coming after its disastrous show in the Lok Sabha polls as well as the state assembly elections in December last year. The party is the incumbent in both the states that go to polls. In Haryana, the elections also come in the backdrop of internal strife in the Congress with differences between state PCC Ashok Tanwar and Chief Minister Hooda over the selection of candidates, and the former reportedly even threatening to resign over the issue. The party, however, put up a united front during the rally with both Hooda and Tanwar sitting on the dais flanking Sonia on either side. The Congress president was frequently seen talking to both while on the dais. Meanwhile, the audience, dominated by men, seemed to come to life mostly when specific references were made to the state during speeches. Making a pitch for the Congress in Haryana, Sonia claimed the state had set a record in development under the Congress in the last ten years. “The Delhi Metro has reached Faridabad and Gurgaon. Soon it will reach Kundli and Bahadurgarh. Metro will reach Rohtak and Panipat,” she claimed. “When the Congress party rules for five more years, Haryana will stand out as an example of growth and development and this work can be done only by the Congress,” Sonia added.
