Team where players running each other out: PM steps up attack on Congress in Rajasthan

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, November 19

The race for power in Rajasthan intensified on Sunday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi comparing rival Congress with a ramshackle cricket team where players were working to run each other out.

In twin rallies at Taranagar and Jhunjhunu, the PM attacked the Congress for “disunity” and said, “This government failed to deliver in Rajasthan for five years because its key players were busy working at cross purposes.”

Giving the analogy of cricket as India played Australia in the World Cup today, the PM said, “In cricket, a batsman comes and scores runs for his team. But in the Congress, there is so much friction that let alone run-scoring, the leaders are busy getting each other run out. The Congress government spent five years in Rajasthan just getting each other run out.” The PM argued that the state needed the BJP to put governance back on track. “If you choose the BJP, we will get rid of all these corrupt people and build a score of development,” PM Modi said at the rallies.

In Jhunjhunu, the PM attacked the Congress for opposing the vice-presidential nomination of Jagdeep Dhankhar, who belongs to Jhunjhunu.

“And now they are publicly objecting to the V-P visiting his native place,” said the PM, flagging BJP government’s decisions to implement the one rank, one pension and abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in firm commitment to promises made.

At both meetings, the PM also spoke of the controversial “red diary”, which allegedly contains details of corruption of Rajasthan Congress leaders.

“Even the son is now saying ‘Papa’s government is not coming’,” the PM said, taking a veiled dig at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his son Vaibhav. The PM further underlined the party’s previous line of questioning Congress’ “vote bank politics”. “Development happens where there is trust and security, and honour is safeguarded. The Congress has snatched all this from Rajasthan,” said PM Modi, hammering the trend of curfews at key Hindu festivals.

“Be it Holi, Diwali, Ram Navami or Hanuman Jayanti, every festival is marked by stone-throwing, and held under curfew. When appeasement is prioritised for votes, the morale of troublemakers gets a boost. Under Congress rule, it has become difficult for sisters and daughters to step outside,” the PM added.