Congress Fighting Gujarat Elections For Existence, Says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Congress has created the "maximum credibility crisis" in Indian politics as there is a vast difference between the promises made by the party and their implementation.

Addressing a press conference here ahead of the first phase of polling for Gujarat Assembly elections on December 1, Singh said while Congress is fighting the elections for its existence, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in the fray to register its presence.

"But it is the BJP which will win more than two-thirds of 182 seats in Gujarat as predicted by many political analysts. The trust of people in BJP increased over years and the saffron party will break all the previous records (of victory in Gujarat) and retain power," he said.

Singh said India would have become the world's strongest country many years ago had the Congress delivered on the promises it made to the people while in power.

"Everyone knows if there is a political party which has created the maximum amount of credibility crisis in Indian politics, it is Congress. There is a huge difference between what they promised and what they did in the past," said the former BJP president.

On the other hand, the BJP always kept its word and fulfilled the promises mentioned in its manifestos, he said.

"When all other parties are facing a crisis of credibility, the BJP has emerged as the symbol of credibility in Indian politics. After Modiji took the reins in 2014, our country's stature has grown in the world," the Defence minister said.

Speaking on the BJP's poll promise to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Gujarat if elected again, Singh said the party's policy has been very clear about UCC since the days of the formation of Jan Sangh.

"We do not change our stands from time to time. Optics and politics are not taken into consideration while taking any decision," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)