New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi are in Chhattisgarh today to campaign ahead of run-up to the assembly polls in a state that has been reeling under Left-wing extremism for decades now. Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Chhattisgarh next week in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The first phase is to be held in the Maoist-affected constituencies of Bastar region that falls in the southern part of the central Indian state.
PM Modi in his address at Jagdalpur, the headquarters of Bastar district, said "urban Maoists live in air-conditioned homes, study abroad, roam around in fancy cars and try to disrupt peace here." Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP government over alleged inaction against insolvent businessmen who have "fled the country" in his poll address. Their visit comes a day after at least five people, including a security personnel, were killed after Maoists triggered an explosion in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.
Here are the Highlights of their Chhattisgarh visit:
Nov 09, 2018 17:15 (IST)
The Congress president also alleged that the prime minister had promised that Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in everyone's bank account, while he had also promised to provide employment to two crore people and waive farm loans.
"But none of these promises were fulfilled," he said.
Mr Gandhi further said jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, liquor baron Vijay Mallya and tainted cricket administrator Lalit Modi fled India with the country's money worth thousands of crores.
Nov 09, 2018 17:14 (IST)
Gandhi also slammed the prime minister over the Rafale deal and PM Modi's connection to Anil Ambani.
"Ambani has never made an aircraft and the contract was snatched from HAL and Modi ji gifted Rs 30,000 crore to Ambani," he alleged.
The Congress has earlier also levelled these accusations, which has been rejected by the government as well as by the Ambani-led Reliance Group.
Nov 09, 2018 17:12 (IST)
Mr Gandhi also targeted Raman Singh over the alleged chit funds scam in the state, the alleged civil supplies scam and over his son Abhishek Singh allegedly holding offshore assets.
Mr Singh has denied these charges earlier.
Nov 09, 2018 17:12 (IST)
On the issue of farmers in Chhattisgarh, Rahul Gandhi said his party would resolve all their problems after coming to power in the state.
"If we form the government in Chhattisgarh, we will waive the loans of farmers within ten days," he said.
He said that his party will stand by the farmers through thick and thin.
"Food processing units will be developed for farmers in each and every district. The unit will also provide employment to rural youths," he added.
"After the Congress government comes to power, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will be developed as agriculture centres of the country like Punjab and Haryana," he said.
Nov 09, 2018 12:09 (IST)
Chief Minister Raman Singh is also scheduled to hold a road show in Rajnandgaon today evening. He is contesting against the Congress's Karuna Shukla, niece of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Nov 09, 2018 11:00 (IST)
The prime minister is scheduled to arrive at Raipur airport at 11:20am Friday and then take a helicopter to Jagdalpur. Following the rally, he will leave for Raipur at 2 pm and then return to Delhi, according to reports.