"Narendra Modi's thoughts are threat to Indian democracy," says former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who accused him of provoking communal feelings in the state during the recent elections which Congress lost badly.
Noting that Modi's "Goebellesian" tactics won Rajasthan for BJP, he said that the collapse of Congress in the elections was "more than a surprise".
"It is more than a surprise. I feel that there was no anti-incumbency factor and even if it was there, the things would not have been such bad," the 62-year-old leader said in an interview with PTI.
His emphasis was "Modi's thoughts are threat to Indian democracy. It is not the defeat of the Congress but victory for the communal forces."
Congress came up with its worst performance in the elections for the 200-member Assembly winning just 21 seats, far less than the 41 it won in the post-Emergency 1977 election.
"The way attempts were made to communalise the atmosphere among the people especially the younger generation through the use of social media. It was a below the belt attack.
"It was a Goebellesian propaganda of repeating a lie hundred times so that it looks real. BJP and Narendra Modi played politics through such methods. They spread lies and baseless things. It is not in the interest of the country," he said.
Alleging that Modi adopted the Gujarat tactics in Rajasthan, he recalled that in Gujarat, BJP had not given a single ticket to Muslims and had done things that would provoke Hindus to virtually get their vote en bloc.
Besides, he says, that the issue of price rise could also be a factor. At the same time, he took the line that while prices have rose, purchasing power of people has also increased.
Rahul Gandhi is the "natural choice" as PM candidate, Gehlot said when asked as to who could be leading the Congress campaign in the polls.
As Chief Minister, Gehlot was instrumental in organising the Jaipur Chintan Shivir in January which saw Rahul being elevated as the party Vice President. Gehlot lamented the way Gandhi-Nehru family is beingtargeted by its detractors which was seen in the poll campaign.
"There has been attack on the Gandhi-Nehru family in spite of the fact that they have even dedicated the Anand Bhavan at Allahabad to the nation. This is also in spite of the fact that no one from the family has become Prime Minister or even Minister for the past
25 years," he said.
This, he felt, was because still the credibility of the family is intact among the people. "So a campaign is on to malign them. It is on through distribution of CDs and books containing false propaganda. It is below the belt attack."
In an obvious reference to Sonia Gandhi, he said, "A woman who renounced even the Prime Ministership is being targetted in filthy language. It is more easy to misguide the younger generation which does not know the sacrifice made by the family."
Besides, he insisted that BJP is known for exploiting the communal divide on one issue or the other.
"Ayodhya was the issue during the time of Vajpayee. Secular forces should understand the design and the threat arising out of such politics. They should especially try to wean away the youth from such influences," he said.
In an apparent reference to scams like the once on 2G spectrum, he said, "In an era of coalition, when even a partner makes mistakes, you get blamed."
Gehlot said that he was not hankering after any post in the party.
"I am not seeking any post. Congress has always trusted me. I was made a Union Minister thrice, once each by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao. I have been PCC President thrice and two times Chief Minister."
The refrain of the Congress leader is that BJP is using the agenda of transparency only for winning elections.
He also said that Sonia Gandhi had unveiled the agenda during the AICC plenary at Burari three years ago.