Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked the dynastic politics of Congress and said the BJP is set to be re-elected in Himachal Pradesh.
In a rally in poll-bound Himachal's Chamba, Shah mounted an attack on 'Ma-Beta' [Mother-Son] of Congress party and said that the time of 'raja-rani' [king-queen] is over and it's the age of people. The mother-son was a reference to former Congress chiefs Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and Pratibha Singh and her son Vikramaditya Singh in Himachal Pradesh.
Shah further said that Himachal would this time break the custom of alternating government every five years and reelect the Jairam Thakur-led BJP government.
Shah said, "Change this tradition of alternative governments and repeat the BJP in the state. Form a BJP government for the second time by breaking this tradition and we will ensure a drugs-free Himachal by putting an end to the business of narcotics here. Modi ji has taken a pledge for a drugs-free India in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. I have heard the speeches of Congress leaders. They have nothing to say except stressing on the 'riwaz' [custom]."
Shah coined a new slogan "Ek bar BJP, bar bar BJP" [BJP once, BJP again and again].
Accusing the Congress of trying to create divisions between upper and lower Himachal, Shah said, "But Rahul baba, upper Himachal and lower Himachal both belong to the BJP and so does every nook and corner of the state."
Alleging that the Congress was responsible for "scams" involving a total amount Rs 12 lakh crore during its government at the Centre, Shah said, "Still not satiated, they have now come to Himachal Pradesh. How can those facing a chargesheet give a good government in the state?"
"There is democracy in the country and gone are the days of raja-rani. It is the time of common people. We have to elect a government that works for the development of the state," said Shah.
Noting that there is nothing in the name of development in the speeches of the Congress leaders, Shah said, "In Delhi, it is a ma-beta party and here too, it is a ma-beta party, where there is no place for youngsters. Youngsters have a place only in the BJP."
Stressing on Modi's development plank and his fondness for Himachal, Shah said the prime minister has worked here for years and that is why he is familiar with every corner of the state. He also recalled that the BJP has laid a web of roads in the state and that a medical college is coming up in Chamba.
Shah said, "When there is a double-engine government, it has its own strength. If anyone has benefitted the most during the Modi government, it is the 80 crore poor people of the country."
The ‘double engine’ government is a term used by the BJP to refer to the case where the governments in the state and centre are both run by the BJP. The synergy of the same party’s governments, according to the double engine belief, refers to two-fold developmental growth.
Shah alleged that during the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule in the country, terrorists used to behead Indian soldiers every now and then but the Congress leaders would not even say a word as they feared losing their vote bank.
"But now, it is the Modi government and not that of mauni baba Manmohan Singh," he said, referring to the surgical strikes inside Pakistan.
Shah also reminded people of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying it was Modi who made these things possible.
He said, "You will see a magnificent, sky-touching Ram temple after 2024 and you should book your tickets. The Congress was trying to insult our heritage, our religious sites and icons, but Modiji, without worrying about vote banks, made these possible."
Shah paid homage to soldiers from Himachal who laid down their lives for the nation and said the state sends the highest number of soldiers to the armed forces.
Shah is scheduled to address a series of rallies in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh during his two-day tour of the hill state.
Polling will be held in Himachal on November 12 and votes will be counted on December 8.
The BJP is seeking a re-election in Himachal, while the Congress is eyeing to wrest power from the saffron party, even as new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is looking to capture new political space.
Himachal is known to not repeat a political party as it has alternated power between the Congress and BJP every five years. The BJP is seeking to break this "riwaz" [custom].
(With PTI inputs)
