Narendra Modi govt gaining popularity for good event management: Congress

Jamshedpur, Nov 21: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for its "crony capitalism", Congress on Friday said the Modi government was gaining popularity because of "good event management" not "good governance".

"Narendra Modi is gaining popularity in the country and abroad because of his good event management. In reality, no development work is visible as yet", Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said. "Anyone can see the condition of Okhla in the national capital even if we would talk about Modi's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," he said.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana was meant to serve the interest of the capitalists, Kumar alleged and claimed that out of Rs 7000 crores under the scheme, Rs 6300 crores have been given to Adani group to develop coal mines in Australia.

Kumar asked why no bank in Australia had sanctioned loan to Adani while the leading public sector bank of the country, SBI, did, adding, the loan sanctioned by SBI was the hard earned money of the seven crore poor people, who had deposited it under Jan Dhan Yojana.

More than 80 per cent deposits made under the scheme were given to Adani, he claimed, adding, the money loaned would face a fate similar to Vijay Mallya-owned aviation company Kingfisher. The Congress spokesperson also asked about the relevance of raising the issue of black money in the G20 meeting recently, though the member nations have nothing to do with the issue.

Cong: BJP allies snapped ties with the party due to its arrogant approach

Defending the leadership quality of AICC President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who led the party to win the 2004 and 2009 parliamentary polls, Kumar said the country would soon realise that the Modi government's achievements were based on event management than reality.

Kumar said BJP's former allies JD(U) and Shiv Sena decided to snap ties with it because of its "arrogant approach" and added that BJP's alliance with Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab is on the verge of breaking up soon. Modi would hardly be a factor in the ensuing assembly election in the state, Kumar said, adding, Jharkhand will have an non-BJP led government.

Congress is in a better position than the last election and would form government in alliance with RJD and JD(U) in the state, he said, referring to party's poll prospects in the state. Kumar also hinted at the possibility of post-poll talks with JMM in case of fractured mandate.

Congress had snapped ties with its former ally JMM, before the polls in the state over seat-sharing issue. Kumar also blamed the saffron party for the prevailing backwardness in mineral-rich state.

PTI