Elect a government accountable to me: Modi to Delhiites

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday called for a BJP government in Delhi, saying the national capital needs an administration which works in harmony with the Centre and is also accountable to him.

Addressing a rally in west Delhi's Dwarka area ahead of the Feb 7 assembly elections, Modi hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress for making "false promises" to woo voters. He said Delhi needs a government which works in harmony with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and not one "which launches agitation day and night".

"Governing is a serious matter. You have to understand the pains and problems of the people. Those who just like to remain in headlines should stay away," Modi said. He urged the people not to give a fractured mandate and give his party full majority so that it is accountable to him unlike 'others' who are not answerable to anyone.

"If you elect a BJP government in Delhi, you know that the ministers and the government here both will be accountable to me but others are not like us. They are not answerable to anyone. They can only ruin Delhi," Modi said.

The prime minister said he was indebted to the people of Delhi for their support in the lok Sabha elections. "I have to return it by developing Delhi. I have to solve problems in every part (of Delhi). Give me a chance to serve you. Delhi needs a stable government. Form a government of people whom you trust," he said.

Slamming the opposition, Modi said there was a competition among the rival parties to "tell lies". "The competition is to make false promises. Such kind of false promises were not made in Delhi elections earlier. A new lie is manufactured every 24 hours."

Modi did not name the AAP or its leader Arvind Kejriwal but lashed out at the party several times during his over 40-minute speech. Modi said Delhi needs a responsible, sensitive government and running an administration was a serious task which has to be carried out by understanding problems of the people.

"You cannot do it by running away," he said, taking a dig at Kejriwal who quit as chief minister after 49 days only. Modi said the AAP and the Congress clandestinely joined hands after the last assembly polls in 2013. "The (AAP-led) government was formed by betraying the people," he said. The party's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi assured the audience that her focus will remain on protecting the city's women and providing livelihood to its youth.

She said skill-development centres will be opened in all slum dwellings and unauthorised colonies, sports infrastructure will be improved drastically, special trains to connect Delhi's youth with other parts of India will be run during summer vacations and lastly a 'youth police' force will be formed comprising school and college students.

Voting for the 70-member Delhi assembly will take place Feb 7. Votes will be counted Feb 10.