ADDRESSING GUJARAT’S BJP Mahila Morcha through the Narendra Modi app, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Uttar Pradesh civic election results show that Indian voters can “rise above negativity” created over demonetisation and GST, and claimed that “similar winds — of rejection of negativity and the BJP’s victory — have reached Gujarat now”.
The BJP swept the civic polls in UP — the results were declared on Friday — winning 14 of 16 mayor seats.
BJP president also claimed that BJP’s victory in the Uttar Pradesh civic polls will be “repeated” in Gujarat, too.
Modi said, “The Indian voter is very mature, who wants development, and the BJP’s development work speaks for itself. Such is the (vibrancy of) Indian democracy that in the land held even till date by the Congress (Amethi, Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency and considered a Gandhi family pocket borough for decades), even farmers have uprooted the Congress.”
“The Indian voter can rise above all negative influences such as casteism and illicit money power. So the UP Assembly elections, followed by civic body election, have proven that the electorate has rejected the negativity created over bold structural reforms such as demonetisation and GST. Similar winds — of rejection of negativity and the BJP’s victory — have reached Gujarat now.”
Modi addressed more than 7,500 Mahila Morcha workers live through the app.
Among those in attendance, listening to the speech at BJP’s media centre in Ahmedabad, were former Ahmedabad mayor Meenaxi Patel, BJP Mahil Morcha state president Dr Jyoti Pandya, Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Jagruti Pandya, vice-chairperson of University Granth Nirman Board Bhavna Dave, and Naroda MLA Dr Nirmala Vadhwani.
In an oblique reference to Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and OBC leader Alpesh Thakor’s presence in the Congress camp, Modi said the social fabric of Gujarat cannot be vitiated on caste or sectoral lines for electoral benefits. He said there has been a peaceful and safe environment in the state for women in the last 22 years but the Congress is trying to vitiate and tear apart the social fabric by spreading casteism.
Modi also took questions from a few women. Chandrikaben Limbachiya from Kutch asked on ways to promote handicraft, to which Modi said that “Rannotsav” has been a major boost to promoting tourism and handicraft, and assured her that he will ask his government on ways to promote handicraft after the elections.
Majulaben from Dediapada, who runs a tea stall, asked how she can contribute for the party during this election. Modi suggested that she cuts out all BJP ads that appear in newspapers and hands them out at her stall, and gives them to other shops as well.
Campaigning in Somnath town, Shah said that the Uttar Pradesh civic polls result has silenced the Congress leaders.
“When I had started from Ahmedabad in the morning, the counting had just begun in Uttar Pradesh. As the counting began, the shine vanished from the faces of all Congressmen, and as the counting ended, they disappeared from even the television shows. Friends, the people of Uttar Pradesh did not give any of the 16 municipal corporations to the Congress. On the other hand, BJP’s flag was flying high in Uttar Pradesh,” Shah told a gathering while campaigning in Somnath town.
“Today, what has happened in Uttar Pradesh will be repeated in Gujarat. On December 18, when the counting will take place, BJP will win 150 seats by 11 am… The results in UP have shut their (Congress leaders’) mouth,” the BJP president said, adding that the UP civic poll results have proved that the people of the nation support Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“They (Congress) have been wiped out in such a manner that (Congress vice-president) Rahul baba’s Lok Sabha seat that encompasses Amethi municipality was completely won over by the BJP. Rahul baba has been spending time here (in Gujarat) for the last two months. Had he gone to Amethi, such a thing would not have happened,” Shah added.
Shah also said that how the 6.3 per cent GDP growth re-establishes that India continues to grow at a fast pace under the leadership of Narendra Modi. “Since the GDP numbers have come, the Congressmen have gone silent,” he added.
He also attacked Rahul Gandhi over his frequent temple visits. “Once the elections are over, the family (of Rahul Gandhi) will not even come for a ‘darshan’ (at Somnath temple). I will come though,” Shah said, while listing out the development activities carried out by the BJP which included work on Narmada project.
“When Congressmen come your houses and your residential societies, ask them what is your agenda of fighting the elections,” he said, adding that the Congress is fighting the Gujarat polls based on caste, while the BJP is fighting the poll on the plank of development. “You tell me which poll plank do you want,” he said.
Earlier, Shah addressed similar election rallies at Kodinar and Mangrol towns.