india

Updated: Dec 23, 2018 21:58 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the proposed mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance in the Centre as an “unholy alliance” of various political parties for “personal survival.”

Voters will see through the ‘incoherent alliance’ of ‘rich dynasties’, Modi said during his interaction with booth workers from Chennai Central, Chennai North, Madurai, Tiruchirappally and Tiruvallur constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

“Today several leaders are talking about a grand alliance or mahagathbandhan. This alliance was formed for personal survival and it is not formed with ideological basic support. They (oppositions) have joined for power and not for people. It is just for their personal ambitions and not for people’s aspiration,” Modi said.

Attacking the Congress for dismissing the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government led by M G Ramachandran in 1980, the prime minister said, “Even the great MGR, the stalwart, worked for poor and downtrodden, was targeted. In 1980, his elected government was dismissed. He had the support of members of the assembly. However, Congress had the support of Raj Bhavan. Meanwhile, MGR again won in the elections and returned to power.”

The PM slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Congress calling their alliance opportunistic. “No one has forgotten where the Congress and DMK stood on the Jain Commission. During that time, Congress said, either it is DMK or it is us. But, today they want to be together. If not opportunism, then what explains their alliance,” Modi told party workers.

Modi also criticised the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-Congress alliance, saying that NT Rama Rao formed the party to fight the Congress and for the pride of Telugu speaking people.

Accusing the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of looting Maharashtra along with Congress, the PM said, “when the party’s supremo held the agriculture portfolio in the United Progressive Alliance government, Maharashtra witnessed irrigation scam and farmer suicides.”

He also noted that the leaders who are in the grand alliance were once arrested and tortured during the Emergency. “Today these parties and Congress have come together to provide oxygen for each other. But, people know very well about the real nature of these parties,” Modi claimed.

Calling the opposition’s alliance as a club of rich dynasties, Modi said, “they are only to promise family rule. People can see through their opportunism and will never accept this incoherent coalition. While India wants democracy, the oppositions want a dynasty. India needs growth for all and the parties in a grand alliance to want growth for only their families,” he concluded.

Responding to the PM’s contention, the Congress party said Modi’s speech was a false propaganda. “As we have formed a great alliance to save the nation, the BJP and its master Modi have launched campaigns earlier. Our alliance is not opportunistic. It has been formed to enlighten the lives of Indians,” said Su Thirunavukkarasar, TN Pradesh Congress Committee President.