Barmer, Rajasthan:
Congress number 2 Rahul Gandhi took on Narendra Modi, the BJP's newly-named presumptive prime minister on the latter's development agenda today, in a campaign speech in election-bound Rajasthan.
Speaking in Barmer, exactly at the time that Mr Modi was attacking the Congress-led Centre in Gandhinagar about 360 km away, Mr Gandhi said, "Like the opposition, we too talk about development, about building roads, rail, ports, school and bridges. But unlike them, we want those who build that infrastructure, the poor labourers, to also benefit."
Mr Gandhi elaborated on his "dream" theme from a speech made last week in Udaipur, to say that the opposition, read the BJP, only wanted progress, while the Congress wanted the poor to dream big and would fulfill the dream of "the poor labourer who looks skyward and thinks 'my son will fly in that plane one day.'"
So saying he pitched his party's flagship employment scheme MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and also those on food security and land acquisition that the ruling party pushed through in the monsoon session of Parliament. The BJP, he said, had tried to scuttle the bills.
Mr Gandhi claimed that his were not empty promises. "We are not like others who come here and offer you electricity and water. We have delivered surplus power in Rajasthan, free medicines," he said with a nod at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who hopes to win a second straight term in the state for the Congress. Mr Modi had launched the BJP's Rajasthan campaign at a massive rally in state-capital Jaipur last week.
Many see the 2014 general elections as a direct clash between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi. Neither leader has pulled his punches as he attacks the other in public speeches.
Four days ago, the BJP finally made an official announcement that Narendra Modi is its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections. There has been no such announcement from the Congress, but senior partymen point out that their party has a tradition of allowing newly elected MPs to choose their leader. They also say that there is no doubt in anyone's mind who is leading the party for the next general election.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is 80, recently said, "Rahul Gandhi would be ideal for the Prime Minister's position after the 2014 elections. I would be very happy to work for the Congress party under the leadership of Mr Gandhi."
Speaking in Barmer, exactly at the time that Mr Modi was attacking the Congress-led Centre in Gandhinagar about 360 km away, Mr Gandhi said, "Like the opposition, we too talk about development, about building roads, rail, ports, school and bridges. But unlike them, we want those who build that infrastructure, the poor labourers, to also benefit."
Mr Gandhi elaborated on his "dream" theme from a speech made last week in Udaipur, to say that the opposition, read the BJP, only wanted progress, while the Congress wanted the poor to dream big and would fulfill the dream of "the poor labourer who looks skyward and thinks 'my son will fly in that plane one day.'"
So saying he pitched his party's flagship employment scheme MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and also those on food security and land acquisition that the ruling party pushed through in the monsoon session of Parliament. The BJP, he said, had tried to scuttle the bills.
Mr Gandhi claimed that his were not empty promises. "We are not like others who come here and offer you electricity and water. We have delivered surplus power in Rajasthan, free medicines," he said with a nod at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who hopes to win a second straight term in the state for the Congress. Mr Modi had launched the BJP's Rajasthan campaign at a massive rally in state-capital Jaipur last week.
Many see the 2014 general elections as a direct clash between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi. Neither leader has pulled his punches as he attacks the other in public speeches.
Four days ago, the BJP finally made an official announcement that Narendra Modi is its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections. There has been no such announcement from the Congress, but senior partymen point out that their party has a tradition of allowing newly elected MPs to choose their leader. They also say that there is no doubt in anyone's mind who is leading the party for the next general election.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is 80, recently said, "Rahul Gandhi would be ideal for the Prime Minister's position after the 2014 elections. I would be very happy to work for the Congress party under the leadership of Mr Gandhi."
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