Commanders are not changed on battlefield: Arun Jaitley

Ajnala (

), Apr 16:

leader

on Wednesday took aim at

's reported decision to put party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on "back foot" and bring president Sonia Gandhi to "the front", saying that on a battlefield or in a cricket match, commanders are not changed.

This, Jaitley said, clearly indicated the frustration of Congress after it had failed miserably on economic, governance and security issues. Congress is trying to divert attention by changing the guard, but these tactics will not help as people are tired of misrule, he said, addressing a meeting in Ajnala village along India Pakistan border.

In TV ads, Rahul's face has been replaced with that of his mother, as Rahul was not seen to be effective enough to fetch votes, Jaitley, who is contesting polls from Amritsar, said. Claiming that the nation was in the mood for change, he said, "People will vote for strong, stable and decisive government.

The inevitable choice is NDA under the leadership of Narendra Modi." Describing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "meek", Jaitley said, "The Prime Minister has to take most of its decisions approved and ratified from the Congress president. All sensitive subjects have to be discussed with the person outside the government."

Stating that Congress had realised that Manmohan Singh would not be effective, he charged the party of "wilfully" not having fixed any election meeting of Singh.

Claiming that farmers living along the India-Pakistan border were unable to cultivate their agricultural land due to international security, he said if NDA come to power, trade with Pakistan would be opened and it would boost up the economy of Punjab.

Jaitley attacked Congress over inflation, and also condemned UPA's policy to permit FDI in retail sector saying it would affect about 4 crore small traders and about 20 crore people of the country.

PTI