Praising the Atal Advani’s NDA government, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi challenged UPA leaders to submit a performance report on nine-years of rule.
Asserting that the coming general elections will not be fought by “any leader or party”, Mr Modi said the polls will be “fought by people of India for their rights and dreams”, like they did in 1977 (post-Emergency). Mr Modi, who was recently nominated as BJP’s PM candidate, asserted that only BJP “can save the country from the current crisis today” because whenever “any BJP member is given any responsibility, they give their best”.
Addressing Indian diaspora in the US through a live video-conference in the early hours of Sunday from Gandhinagar, Mr Modi asked Indian diaspora to help in “uprooting” the UPA and bringing in “progressive” BJP government at the Centre. He said it is during the NDA era that the “world saw India as a nation that would scale new heights during the 21st century, but that dream was shattered after the NDA lost office.”
“This government, which has downgraded the country, has to go. Let us affirm that this government has to go democratically. We should work for a progressive BJP government,” the Gujarat chief minister said. He further said, “The elections after the Emergency were not fought by leaders of parties. Neither did papers ad pundits influence them. Like 1977, 2014 will be the voice of the people.”
Urging the Indian American community, particularly his supporters, to play a meaningful role in the victory of his party in the upcoming general elections next year, Mr Modi said, “As soon as I finish (my speech) they will start, what Modi said, but friends, Modi gave answers to the people in December 2012 and BJP was chosen I want to tell the Congress friends. Do you at least agree that when Vajpayee government was there, growth rate was 8.4 per cent but now it is 4.8 per cent under this (UPA) government.”
Alleging that the Congress was “running away” from giving its performance report, he charged that a strong “vested interest group” is shielding the ruling party from its mis-governance.