“CONGRESS has accepted its defeat even before the Lok Sabha poll results are out,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday while addressing an election rally at Nanded on Saturday. Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, he said that just as the Congress leader lost from Amethi in 2019, the “Congress’ sahabzade” will lose the Wayanad Parliamentary seat this time. Campaigning for candidates of Nanded and Hingoli Lok Sabha seats, Modi accused the Congress of being a barrier in the path of development and that it cannot be trusted to work for the country’s progress. Apparently targeting former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Modi said some INDIA bloc leaders who have been members of the Lok Sabha for several years, have left the Lower House of Parliament and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha as they have no confidence to contest elections. Voters will vote for ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India). Modi referred to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s recent remarks against Rahul Gandhi, saying, “Even I can’t make such comments.”

 

The agriculture crisis and farmers’ problems did not arise in one day. They happened because of the Congress’ flawed policies. But the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is committed to work for their welfare, he said, adding that he has been fixing the problems created under Congress regimes earlier in the last 10 years. “Now, we have to work even harder,” he said. “Congress survives on one family. But now the family cannot vote for the party candidate. For the first time, the family will have to vote for a non-Congress candidate in the constituency where they live because they don’t have a candidate,” Modi added. Describing the I.N.D.I.A bloc a grouping of selfish parties that have come together to protect their corrupt practices, he said the alliance has been rejected by voters in the first phase. The I.N.D.I alliance does not have a face to project to people who they can entrust country’s future to, he said.

 

They may claim anything, but the reality is that Congress leaders have accepted defeat even before announcement of polls, he added. Predicting an all-out fight among the I.N.D.I.A bloc members after June 4, Modi urged people to teach them a lesson in elections. The Prime Minister thanked voters for coming out in large numbers to exercise their voting right in the first phase of elections. Next 25 years will be years of India’s greatness in the world, he said. “I want to congratulate and thank people, especially the first-time voters. As per the information I have received, voting has been one-sided in favour of the NDA. I thank you with a bowed head,” he said. Modi urged people to step out to vote in large numbers although there is heat, farmers are busy and the wedding season is on. “Soldiers always do their duty of protecting the country’s borders irrespective of any season. By voting, you are not doing anybody a favour but securing the country’s future,” he said. In a sarcastic comment, Modi said he wanted to boost the morale of the opposition party workers as 0they should also encourage voters to come out to vote. On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, he asked people to think of what fate would have befallen Sikhs who came to India from Afghanistan without CAA. (PTI)