Continuing with the high-octane campaigning for the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi addressed a number of rallies in the state on Sunday, 10 December.
Notably, Gandhi held a public meeting in support of Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani at Vadgam on Saturday, 9 December. Mevani, who had earlier announced his support for the Congress, is contesting the elections from the Vadgam constituency as an Independent candidate.
The first phase of polling took place on 9 December, recording a voter turnout of around 66.75 percent.
- PM Narendra Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi addressed a slew of rallies for the second phase of Gujarat elections
- Rahul Gandhi started his campaign on Sunday with a darshan at a temple in Dakor, followed by a public meeting. He then addressed rallies in Aravali, Deodar and Kalol
- At a rally in Palanpur, Modi once again slammed Mani Shankar Aiyar, asking why he had held “secret meetings with the Pakistani High Commissioner”
- Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi urged the people in one of his rallies to talk about the PM with love, but also make him go away
- The second phase of polling will take place on 14 December and the results will be declared on 18 December
Why Did Manmohan Singh Not Show Courage to Order Surgical Strikes Post 26/11: Modi
PM Modi, addressing a public rally in Vadodara on Sunday, asked his predecessor Manmohan Singh why did he not show the courage to order a surgical strike post the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, despite the readiness of the Army.
He said after the Mumbai attacks, the Air Force had approached the then Prime Minister Singh with a plan for surgical strikes, but the government did not show the courage to order it.
"Under whose advice did he (Singh) do so," Modi asked the gathering at the Navlakhi compound.
Someone who served at a high position in the Air Force has said that after 26/11, they went to the then Prime Minister with a plan for surgical strikes. Sadly, the then government did not show the courage to do that.PM Modi
He then cited the example of his government's action in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack in September last year.
Modi also questioned Congress leaders, including its vice president Rahul Gandhi, for raising doubts over the surgical strikes.
"Are such secret matters to be discussed in public?" he asked, saying this was the difference between the NDA government and the UPA government.
The prime minister also justified demonetisation, saying it was aimed at unearthing black money and preventing the parallel economy.
"My Govt is For the Poor": PM Modi
Dismissing the allegations made by the Congress that the BJP government in Gujarat was for the “rich”, PM Narendra Modi on 10 December said:
My government is for the poor. I can’t understand the lies Congress keeps saying. When we build a state of the art bus terminus for Vadodara, do we do it because Mukesh Ambani, Tata or Birla uses it? No we make this to serve the poor.
Modi to Hold Road Show in Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a road show in Ahmedabad on 12 December, two days before the second phase of polling in Gujarat.
We Will Defeat Modiji Without Any Anger, But With Love: Rahul Gandhi in Kalol
At a rally in Gujarat’s Kalol, Rahul Gandhi said:
Modiji keeps using bad words against me in his speeches. Even today, he did so. I respect the post of the PM. No matter what the PM says about me, I won’t utter even a single bad word about him. Modiji, we will defeat you in Gujarat without any anger, but with love.Rahul Gandhi
Addressing the crowd, Gandhi said:
I won’t forget the love you have shown till I am alive. Whenever you need me, just call me... You have forged a relationship with me. This is a relationship for life, it won’t break.Rahul Gandhi