Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Apr 14: "Systematic sidelining of leaders like Vajpayee and L K Advani who built the BJP party is the achievement of Narendra Modi," said MP and actor-turned Congress leader Shatrughna Sinha here on Sunday April 14.
Addressing a campaign rally organized by the block Congress at Mudipu here, Sinha said, "Vajapayee, one of the greatest leaders of BJP passed away recently. We all know the condition of senior BJP leaders like Advani and Yashwanth Sinha today. I would have remained in Congress if Indira Gandhi had been alive. I left the party for many reasons. But now seeing a daring and dashing young leader like Rahul Gandhi I am back in Congress. Young peope have high hopes from Rahul-led Congress.
"I have come from Patna to Mudipu of the Mangaluru constituency in South India. Party is greater than an individual, and nation is greater than any party. There is nothing greater than our nation. But the BJP is exactly opposite to this principle," he said.
"A year after Rahul Gandhi assumed charge as the president of AICC, Congress won three states of Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Today our nation needs young leaders like Mithun Rai. If he wins the Lok Sabha election from here, Rahul Gandhi will be our next PM.
"At the centre there is a one-man show and two-man army," he said, taking a dig at PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. I believe in secularism and respect all religions. But unfortunately Modi's government does not respect secularism. Democracy is at threat. To save democracy I joined Congress led by Rahul Gandhi which is a secular party.
"Modi in order to promote himself has toured 90 times across the world. They have spent Rs 10,000 crore for election campaigning," he alleged.
Karnataka Congress vice-president Sudhindra Kumar Maroli said that this election is between those who have a face and the faceless. "The BJP has conceded defeat by asking votes in the name of Modi not for their candidate. While campaigning, Modi claimed himself to be a 'chaiwala', then he changed it to fakir and now he is saying he is chowkidar of the nation. It is shameless that a corrupt BJP leader like Janardhana Reddy also considers himself to be a chowkidar."
Minister U T Khader, former MLA Shakuntala Shetty and local Congress leaders were present.
Mangaluru public meet cancelled
Shatrughan Sinha was also scheduled to address a public meet at Kadri in the city. However, the crowds were sparse, and as Sinha arrived very late, people waited for long and ultimately left. The meet was ultimately cancelled and Sinha headed directly to Mudipu from the airport.