Opportunist elements came together to remove PM Modi: BJP on Opposition rally

New Delhi, January 19

Describing the united opposition rally organised by Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee as a gathering of "opportunist elements", the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Saturday those who could not see eye-to-eye have come together with the sole agenda of removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and without any roadmap for the future of the country.

Asserting India of 2019 is not the India of 1990s, when the longevity of prime ministers ranged from several days to a few months, senior party leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the country needs "a mazboot sarkar and not a mazboor sarkar (strong government not helpless government)".

Taking a dig at the leaders' gathering in Kolkata, Prasad said all of them have the ambition to become prime minister, and therefore their most difficult task is to announce their leader.

Leaders of almost all opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, BSP leader Satish Chander Mishra, DMK leader MK Stalin and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the 'United India' rally organised by Banerjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, in Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday.

The chief ministers of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were also present at the rally.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Partap Rudy termed the gathering an "anti-Modi exercise" and said: “It's a summit of contradictions and conflict”. He exuded confidence that BJP would win the next general election and form the government again.

Prasad said these opposition parties have no plans for development of the country and their sole agenda is to defeat Modi.

 "Those who could not see eye-to-eye have come together. From their speeches, it was evident that their only agenda was to remove Narendra Modi. They have no roadmap for the development of India. Someone in funny manner said their leader will be elected by the people of India, you have to name your leader to be elected by the people of India," Prasad said.

 Prasad asserted that it is the most difficult task for the opposition to announce their leader as "Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee and some regional players, all have ambitions to become Prime Minister". Claiming that people now need stable and strong government, the Law Minister underlined that India of 2019 is not the India of 1990s, "where the longevity of the Prime Minister ranged from 40 days to 11 months".  "Today's India is, India of hope, of aspirations, of development and therefore it wants a stable and effective government. The country needs a mazboot government, not mazboor government (strong government not helpless government)," he said.

Afraid of corruption charges against them, Prasad said, the political parties who have been opponent of the Congress party today are sitting with it.

"Most of the leaders of these opposition parties are facing serious allegations of corruption. They are scared, because Modi is trying make India transparent and taking firm action against corruption," he said, adding that one of the objectives of this grand alliance is to save those who are facing tough action for corruption. PTI