Dhanbad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked the electorate in Jharkhand to give a decisive mandate to BJP for a strong and stable government in the state and not opt for a coalition as “thekedars” (contractors) will then enjoy all power. Modi also accused the Opposition parties of needlessly targeting his government, saying they have run out of issues.
“Jharkhand needs stable government. This time don’t make a mistake. Elect a strong BJP government. If you vote for a majority government then the reins of power will be in the hands of the people, but (in the event of a) coalition government reins will go in the hands of thekedars,” Modi told an election meeting here. Dhanbad goes to polls in the fourth phase on December 14.
He said, “You have done this for the country, will you not do it for the sake of Jharkhand ?… Coalition governments in the country have given power in the hands of ‘thekedars’ and you know what they have done to the country and the states for so many years.” “In the Lok Sabha elections, you have rejected the opposition,” he said while hoping that people would reject them again in the ensuing state assembly elections.
Hitting out at the opposition, he said “These days leaders of opposition parties are very upset. They have to campaign for the sake of their survival and are going to Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir too. But they don’t have any issues against the Modi government. They are repeating their speeches made during the Lok Sabha elections. There is bankruptcy of issues for opposition.”
Referring to abundance of coal in Jharkhand, Modi said, “You are siting on black diamond. Don’t you like to see it sparkle? But who will make the black diamonds sparkle? “Modi is ready for it, but Jharkhand has to give an opportunity to him to utilise the mineral-resources in the development of the state and the country.”
The Prime Minister said his government’s policies will help the mineral-rich state progress fast and reap benefits of its coal reserves. On the coal scam and the Supreme Court verdict on it, Modi said though it came as a “blow” and “pained” the government, it was taken up as an “opportunity” to improve things.
Apparently referring to Jharkhand witnessing nine governments in the 14 years of its existence, Modi said the period is very crucial even in a person’s life as it is the adolescent time and proper nurturing is needed. “14 to 18 years is also crucial for a state and the (next) five years will lay the foundation for the next 100 years,” he said promising that if BJP is voted to power with majority it would lay the foundation of development in mineral-rich Jharkhand.
Modi lambasted the opposition also for “lying” to the people while nationalising banks some 40 years ago in the name of helping the poor. The Prime Minister said his government’s initiative Jan Dhan Yojna has helped every poor in the country open a bank account without their having to deposit a single rupee. Under the scheme, people have deposited Rs 7,000 crore in bank accounts, he said.
Modi said his government was pursuing policies that would help maximise employment and remove poverty. Thanking the people of the state for saving the country from a hung Lok Sabha, by helping the BJP achieve a clear mandate in the parliamentary elections, Modi urged the people to similarly save the state from an unstable government.
He also congratulated the people of Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir for voting in large numbers in the earlier phases of the ongoing assembly elections. (PTI)