Modi takes a dig at Rahul over UP election debacle

Taking a potshot at Rahul Gandhi who addressed his first public rally for the Gujarat elections on Tuesday, Chief Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the Congress leader had camped in Uttar Pradesh for 12 months but failed to secure respectable share of votes in the polls there early this year.

"He (Rahul) got clicked his photographs with children, poor women and workers. However, his party did not get as many votes as he had his photos printed in newspapers," Modi said addressing a rally at Kheda.

He claimed that milk in Gujarat was costlier as the Centre levied "high taxes" on milk cooperatives of the state. "The central government levies 30 per cent tax on milk cooperatives of the state to fill the exchequer of Delhi. However, this makes milk in the state costlier," he said.

Modi said leaders of Congress had grown fat drinking Amul milk but they were least concerned about the poor. "They also increasing prices of diesel and making milk even costlier," he added.

Addressing another rally in Dabhoi town of Vadodara district later in the day, Modi alleged that the Congress wanted to win this election by using money power while the BJP had sweated it out for development of the state.

Modi also addressed a rally at Katwara village in Dahod district.

Incidentally, Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to address a rally in Dahod for the second phase of elections.

Irfan bats for CM

Cricketer Irfan Pathan showed up at the election rally of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Kheda on Wednesday. The all-rounder came to the venue with Modi and shared the stage with him. Though Pathan remained present there for 45 minutes, he did not address the gathering. Modi said the cricketer from Vadodara was the heartbeat of youths of the state and wished him for more success at the international level.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Astronomy buffs geared up for meteor shower

Narendra Modi dials Lalu, enquires about health after car accident

From Ramdev stage in Haridwar, Modi swears by gurus of all hues

PIL puts Tata Motors, state govt in the dock over Nano deal