lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Jan 19, 2019 19:54 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the proposed ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) of opposition parties, saying it was not just “anti-Modi” but against the people of India , and his political rivals have joined hands to save themselves from his campaign against corruption.

Modi’s remarks came at a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally in Silvassa, in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli as opposition parties staged a show of strength in Kolkata. “Poori jamaat” (whole opposition) had gathered in West Bengal,and was “pleading for help”, said Modi.

The PM projected the coming general election as a fight between “positivity and negativity”, “development and corruption” and “mahagathbandhan and the people of India”.

“People who used to slam the Congress left, right and centre, are today standing with that party. This mahagathbandhan is not just against Modi but also against the people of India,” Modi said.

“A party with only one MLA (in West Bengal) is giving them sleepless nights. This is because we are followers of truth... Today, the entire opposition has come together and is shouting ‘bachao, bachao, bachao’,” he said.

Modi arrived in Silvassa from Gujarat, where he was on a two-day visit to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2019. He used his speech at the rally to hit out at Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal government, which has opposed the BJP’s plans to organise a “yatra” (journey) in the state.

“Where the BJP is not allowed to take out a yatra, where candidates in local body elections are killed and where democracy in being crushed, (opposition) leaders there are preaching about saving democracy. It’s truly ironical. After watching this, the nation will say — ‘wah kya scene hai’.”

Coming back to opposition unity, the PM said his “actions against corruption” have infuriated some people. “It’s but natural for them to get angry as I’ve prevented them from looting public money. Consequently, they have now formed an alliance called mahagathbandhan, whose only job is to oppose me. No matter how many gathbandhans they forge to save their families and kingdoms, they cannot run away from their misdeeds,” he said.

Modi said that by opposing him, the mahagathbandhan may grab newspaper headlines, but the people would not accept such an alliance. “The people of India cannot accept those who have destroyed the country,’’ he said.

Reacting to Modi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the prime minister was scared of the opposition unity and his comments showed his desperation. “What he fails to see is that he has been exposed fully by the opposition leaders and he knows the BJP cannot win next Lok Sabha elections,” he said in Kolkata.