M A I N   N E W S

Cong backing the tainted: Modi
At Chandigarh, lashes out at party for fielding Bansal, Ashok Chavan despite graft charges
Rajinder Nagarkoti
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 29
BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the Congress for fielding “tainted” candidates.

In his 45-minute speech at the Bharat Vijay rally in Chandigarh, he said: “You have seen ‘shashaks’ (rulers) for 60 years, now give a ‘sewak’ (servant) an opportunity for the next 60 months.”

Taking a dig at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Modi referred to him as ‘shahzada’ on number of occasions. “They (Congress leaders) are afraid of a tea-seller," said Modi. “Bad days are almost over now. It will be only development after May 16,” said the Gujarat Chief Minister.

“Tainted candidates like former Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan have been fielded by the Congress,” claimed Modi, adding that the party removed Bansal from the Union Cabinet after the railgate, but gave him the ticket from Chandigarh.

“Bhrashtachar ke Pawan ko yahi par gaad do. Use jaane mat do. Yahin par rok do (Stop Pawan, who is symbol of corruption, here. Don’t let him go),” Modi said.

In an attempt to bring to the fore his Chandigarh connection, (Modi was the in charge of the city BJP unit from 1996 to 1999), he said: “Your own has come to seek your blessings today. We will win and form government at the Centre, but the win will be incomplete without a ‘kamal’ from Chandigarh."

"It feels that I have returned home after a long time. It seems the future Prime Minister knows you better than your local representative (Bansal),” he said.

Lashing out at the Congress over corruption, Modi said: "Jal, sthal and nabh (water, land and sky), wherever the Congress-led UPA government got a chance, it indulged in corruption.”

Modi said neither farmers nor soldiers were safe under the Congress government. He said the Congress has the changed 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' slogan into 'Mar jawan mar kisan'. “Heads of our soldiers are beheaded...and while all this is happening, Pakistan leaders are served chicken biryani. Can we feel secure under such leadership?” he asked. On “one rank one pension,” Modi said, "Had Vajpayee won in 2004, the One Rank One Pension problem wouldn't have persisted"

Earlier, addressing a rally in Haryana’s Gohana, Modi vowed to bring back black money stashed by politicians in foreign banks.

"Several leaders of the ruling party have deposited black money in foreign banks after looting India. LK Advani had raised this issue, but the Central Government turned a blind eye towards it,” said Modi.

BJP cancels Ali’s membership

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday cancelled the membership of controversial Muslim leader Sabir Ali (pic) within 24 hours of his induction after opposition from within and the RSS. Ali later said he would file a defamation case against party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. TNS & PTI

Party expels Jaswant for 6 years

New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday evening expelled party veteran Jaswant Singh for six years. Jaswant, who is contesting as an Independent from Barmer, refused to withdraw his candidature on the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers on Saturday. PTI