Congress mocks at BJP's tussle on ''next PM'' issue

Ahmedabad, Dec 28 (UNI) Slamming the BJP for playing ''vote-bank politics'', the Congress today said this was evident from the fact that at the party's recent conclave in Lucknow, none of the leaders spoke on development issues but only ''harped on building the Ram Mandir''.

Addressing a gathering here on the party's Foundation Day, AICC General Secretary B K Hariprasad who is in-charge of Gujarat, said no leader at the conclave talked on people-oriented issues. ''Rather the discussion was more centred on Ram Mandir and who will be the next Prime Minister. That shows the BJP's main concerns,'' he said.

Mocking Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for talking about unity at Mumbai yesterday, the Congress leader sought to know who had been behind the communal riots of 2002 in Gujarat? ''The BJP leaders'' are chameleons, they change colours as per their convenience. Even the Leader of the Opposition (L K Advani) does so,'' he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Congress leader Ahmed Patel accused the Modi government of taking credit for all the schemes and policies announced by the UPA government at the Centre.

''The SEZ policy was given a go-ahead by the UPA government but it was Modi who is taking all the credit. Even in the Sardar Sarovar Project, the Congress had as much contributed, but Modi is flouting it as his own achievement.'' Charging Mr Modi with resorting to propaganda, he said that the state government talked about schemes like Sujalam Suphalam and Jyoti Gram yojana. ''It is mere propanganda. One has to go to the villages to know the reality,'' he said.

He said the Chief Minister loved talking about ''vibrant Gujarat,'' but the reality is different. ''Just concentrating on idustry and investments will not bring about development. Farmers' issues need to be focussed upon. By just focussing on building cybercities IT hubs etc, even our leader S M Krishna had to lose in the elections in Karnataka,'' he pointed out.

He said Congress party was not after power but a platform for service to people and called upon the workers to take the message of the party to every village in the State. All efforts should be made to defeat the communal designs of the BJP, Mr Patel added.

Scores of party workers and Seva Dal members had gathered at the newly inaugurated Congress office here to take part in the Congress Foundation Day celebrations.

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