Congress mass base shrinking despite populist budget: Modi

Patna, Mar 16 (UNI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today said despite its serious attempts to woo voters through populist measures like waiving loans to farmers in the General budget, the Congress was rejected by the people in two Northeastern states in the Assembly elections.

In a release issued here, Mr Modi said, ''The country's voters have understood the character and image of the Congress and they are not ready to be misled by the party through political gimmicks.'' The defeat of the Congress in Tripura and Nagaland were clear indications that the party was fast losing its mass base, he said, adding that it had also failed to get the mandate of the people in Meghalaya but managed to form the government by ''hook or crook''.

''The BJP is in power on its own in six states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, while it is in coalition government with alliance partners in four other states. However, the Congress is in power only in some smaller states barring Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra,'' he said, adding that the Congress was leading coaltion governments in Maharshtra and Jammu and Kashmir.

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