Addressing a rally in Dadra and Nagar Havel’s Silvassa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 19 January, targeted the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) planned by the Opposition, calling it a combine of those he prevented from looting India.
He also took potshots at the TMC's Opposition rally in Kolkata while addressing a public function at Silvassa, the capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
"My actions against corruption made some people angry as I prevented them from looting public money. They have formed the 'mahagathbandhan'," Modi said.
He further alleged that the mahagathbandhan was not an alliance against him, but an alliance against “the people of the country.”
Claiming that the Opposition had sought shelter in a place where the saffron party has only ‘one MLA’, Modi said:
“In Bengal, BJP has only one MLA but they are so afraid of us that they are saying ‘bachao’ (save us).”
He also said that the Opposition was seeking support to save themselves, while his party had stood on the motto to support all – with “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas.”
Also invoking the fact that several Opposition leaders had spoken of saving democracy at the mega rally, Modi said:
“When those involved in suffocating democracy talk of saving it, then people will say ‘wah kya baat hai‘.”
Who is United Oppn’s ‘PM Face’?: BJP
Meanwhile, even as the rally was underway in Kolkata, BJP spokesperson Rajiv Prata Rudy, in a press conference, questioned the lack of a prime ministerial face in the Opposition’s united rally.
“Who is the leader of this united Opposition? Is it Mayawati, is it Akhilesh, is it Lalu, who is it?”
Rudy further said that the primary motive of this ‘united front’ was to push PM Narendra Modi out of power. He also called the Opposition ‘opportunistic’ for clambering atop a ‘united front’.
‘A Rally of Self Interest and of Conflicting Ideologies’
The BJP spokesperson said the rally was a summit of contradictions and conflict of ideologies. He also claimed that the BJP will form the next government with full majority.
“Don’t know where the threat to unity is. While Mamata calls it United India, we can clearly see a divided leadership. It’s a summit of contradictions and conflict. They talk of a new front but I am not sure if it’s even the second or the third front.”Rajiv Prata Rudy, BJP spokesperson
Rudy termed the Opposition rally as an anti-Modi exercise and said the party was not threatened by such events.
“People have seen the performance of the Narendra Modi government and the BJP will form the next government with full majority,” Rudy said.
Only Motive to Remove Modi, No Future Road-Map for India’s Development: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told ANI that the only aim behind the Opposition coming together is to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it lacks any future road-map for the development of India.
“Those who could not see eye to eye have come together & from the speech it was evident that their only agenda is to remove Narendra Modi, they have no future road-map for the development of India.”Ravi Shankar Prasad told ANI
Taking a dig at Akhilesh Yadav’s comment saying people of India will elect leaders from the Opposition, Prasad said “you have to name your leader to be elected by the people of India. Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Mamata Ji and some regional players too, all have PM‘s ambition”
(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)
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