PM Modi kickstarts BJP campaign with ‘main bhi chowkidar’ pledge; Rahul calls it 'defensive'

New Delhi, Mar 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, kick-starting BJP's campaign for Lok Sabha Elections 2019. PM Modi will also interact with people from across the country on 31 March as part of the campaign.

Taking to twitter the prime minister wrote, "Your Chowkidar is standing firm & serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar. Today, every Indian is saying-#MainBhiChowkidar."

The tweet was accompanied by 3 minute 45 second video that begins with the PM addressing the people saying, "Your chowkidar is absolutely alert". The video then moves into a song with visuals of people from across the length and breadth of the country, singing "main bhi chowkidar hun" as part of the chorus of the song.

The 'Main bhi chowkidar' program is a similar strategy as 2014 where BJP took on Manishankar Aiyar's Chaiwalla jibe into a mass campaign.

BJP in a statement said that the'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' has been started after extensive surveys and data analysis by BJP strategists who feel that Rahul Gandhi's 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' jibes and campaign is not resonating among people. Surveys suggest that it is actually angering people.

Modi has often described himself as a "chowkidar" who would neither allow corruption nor get corrupted himself.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back at the prime minister's move, asking if he was guilty today.

Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar chor hai"(watchman is the thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale fighter jet deal, a charge the BJP-led government has rejected.