Political temperatures soared across Haryana on Saturday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi kicked off the campaign of their respective parties for the October 15 Assembly polls.
It was Modi, who drew blood first at a rally in Karnal by seeking a clear mandate for the BJP to rid Haryana of the Congress. He attacked both the incumbent Hooda Govern-ment in the State and the erstwhile Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre by dubbing them anti-farmer and being involved in land scams.
Hours later, Sonia returned fire in two rallies by attacking Modi saying the new Government was behaving as if Governments since Indepen-dence have done nothing for the country and taunted him about his promise to bring back black money within 100 days of coming to power.
Earlier, kickstarting BJP’s election campaign in Congress-ruled Haryana, Narendra Modi, while addressing his first election rally after the lok Sabha polls, launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying those seeking audit of his performance of four months in power have done little in the last 60 years.
“I am beginning my rally from a place where the battle of Mahabharata was won. I learnt lessons in politics on this soil,” Modi told a massive gathering in the historic city of Karnal.
launching a sharp attack on the Congress over alleged land scams, the PM asked, “Which poor has got a plotIJ Has anyone got ...IJ Where have thousands of acres of land disappearedIJ Who has taken thisIJ”
Though Modi took no names, but the attack comes against the backdrop of controversies surrounding the land deals of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
Blasting the Congress, which has been in power in the State for the last nearly 10 years, Modi added that Haryana had lagged on most parameters. He said the State suffers from lack of electricity and water supply and promised to bring in desired changes.
Modi ended his nearly 30 minutes speech by seeking votes for the BJP by making Haryana Congress-mukt. “I have to pay back the debt of Haryana. I am sitting in your neighbourhood. If you want me to stay connected with you without any hurdle, then give full mandate to the BJP in the State,” said he.
Meanwhile, the Congress campaign also picked up pace as party president Sonia Gandhi addressed rallies at Rohtak and Sirsa on Saturday. Taking on Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi said the Modi-led BJP Government at the Centre made false promises to the people.
“During lok Sabha elections, the BJP had created an atmosphere as if they would change the fate of the people. Did they actually doIJ
Has the price rise reduced in the countryIJ Has the daily food for the people become cheaperIJ Have the nation’s youth got jobsIJ," she questioned while addressing her first election rally in Haryana at Meham.
"They claimed that black money stashed in foreign banks will be brought back in 100 days. What happened to thatIJ Has it come backIJ Did they take any step in these regardIJ,'' questioned Sonia Gandhi.
Continuing her unrelenting attack on the BJP, she added, "The BJP has nothing to do with the problems or issues of the people. They have only sold false dreams to people to gain popularity."
Urging people to vote cautiously in the ensuing Assembly polls, she said, "You have to take the decision on your vote from your mind and not from your heart if you want the development of your region."
The campaigning ends on October 13 and the State goes to polls on October 15.