Mangalore: 'Frustrated' Congress trying to woo voters with gimmicks - Venkaiah Naidu

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Jan 31: "The Congress is certain of losing the elections; it is frustrated and desperate. Congress is in jitters, it fumbles, trembles and finally it will crumble. That is why now they are making cosmetic changes," said senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu.

Addressing a press meet during his visit to the city on Friday January 31, he said, "Veerappa Moily increased the number of subsidised cylinders from 6 to 9, and now from 9 to 12. Two weeks ago Moily had said it was impossible, as it would impact the economy. I want to ask Congress, the Prime Minister, and Veerappa Moily who was responsible for bringing down the limit to 6 cylinders, and then making it 9, and now who is responsible in increasing it to 12 on the eve of elections?"

"This looks like the administration of Mohammed Bin Tughlak who repeatedly shifted his capital from Indraprastha (Delhi) to various other places. 120 crore people are suffering due to their irresponsible administration. Hence Congress needs to answer why it reduced the number of subsidised cylinders earlier and now why has it increased the cap to 12? Is it because the Lok Sabha elections are approaching and you (UPA government) want to fool the people as a child is bribed with lollypops to make it stop crying?

"Congress can try anything but people will never believe in these gimmicks," he added.

"Whenever something goes wrong, the blame is put on Manmohan Singh, but for all the good things that happen, it is Rahul Gandhi who gets the credit. Why is this? Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister of this country, but the credit for good work never goes to him but to Rahul Gandhi. If Congress has so much confidence why can't it project him as the next PM candidate? Congress is not doing so because of the fear of rejection," he said.

On a sarcastic note, he added, "On national television, hoardings and in print media, Congress is advertising not its PM candidate or its president, but its vice-president!"

"The UPA promised so much but did not fulfil any of the promises. It has been cheating the common man on issues like black money, women's reservation bill and others. No action has been take against the corrupt, and in fact the corrupt have been protected. The coal scam files are missing, Lalu Prasad whose image has been tainted is already out on bail... Congress corruption is there in the sky (2G spectrum) and it has reached inside the earth (coal scam). They even misused the administration in Maharashtra for their benefit," Naidu said.

He also spoke at length on the Telangana issue and said that Congress timed its decision on a separate state with the elections in sight.

Telangana he said was an issue where 'PM proposes, CM opposes and tomorrow Congress may dispose'. "The Andhra CM (Kiran Kumar Reddy) is shouting slogans against his own party, and still the Congress is giving justifications," he said.

Terming the Aadhaar card as one of the 'cheap gimmicks' by the Congress government to woo voters, he said, "The Aadhaar card project has failed to bring voters to Congress. The government spent thousands of crores on it but now Moily says it is not important to have Aadhaar card to book gas cylinders from April 1. Is it going to be an April Fool joke on the people?

"The Congress hoped direct cash transfer would turn into vote transfer, but it has become rigid transfer; thought Food Security Bill would become vote security, but in four states they were routed. Congress people keep talking about Gujarat riots, but when they are asked about 1984 anti-Sikh riots they have no answer," he said.

"The credit for increasing the number of subsidised cylinders goes to BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi as UPA has taken the step out of fear of Modi. It is our responsibility to bring him as PM. BJP will get majority on its own, but it will remain committed to NDA. It is essential to have a PM with a good mandate," he added.

On BJP's prospects in Karnataka, he said, "We lost the last Assembly elections in Karnataka because of our mistakes and internal problems. But now people are realizing the difference between the UPA and the NDA. We will win 19 of the 28 seats in the state."

When a reporter pointed out that despite Narendra Modi's visit to the city before the last Assembly elections the Congress had won 7 of the 8 constituencies in the district, he said, "At that time the people had voted on local issues but this time it is about national issues. People should vote considering issues of national interest. Modi is a person who does what he says, and hence people should vote for him."

When asked to comment on Aam Aadmi Party, he said, "AAP is getting exposed day by day. It has no clarity on any issue, be it Prashant Bhushan's statement on Kashmir or on Somnath Bharti's actions. CM Arvind Kejriwal was given a responsibility by the people, but he first committed the mistake of joining hands with Congress, despite swearing on his children that he woudn't do so."

On Yeddyurappa's return to the party, he brushed aside the matter saying Yeddyurappa was reinstated in the party as he is a popular leader. He also asserted that the Sangh Parivar has no say in choosing BJP's candidates.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Nagaraj Shetty, Padmanabha Kottary, Pratapsimha Nayak and others were present.