Himachal Pradesh polls: In Kangra, Narendra Modi calls Congress 'laughing club', says 'corrupt' party is losing hold across India

Terming the Congress a “laughing club”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the party was losing its hold in every corner of the country. Addressing his first election rally in the Fatehpur Assembly constituency in Kangra ahead of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, Modi said that Congress must introspect as to why the people of this country are turning from it and its leaders. “State after state, people across the nation have taken it upon themselves to eradicate the Congress which has put them through so much misery,” he said.

Congress must introspect why the entire country is turning away from the Congress leaders and their party : PM @narendramodi

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 2, 2017

Attacking the Himachal Pradesh government, Modi said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was talking of action against corruption when he himself was out on bail on a corruption case. “Despite the case, Singh saheb is claiming there will be zero tolerance against corruption if the Congress is back in power. Can anyone believe him?” asked Modi. “Had it been anyone else, they would run away and hide their faces,” Modi added. Playing up the development agenda, Modi said that the Congress aided the growth of five ‘mafias’ — forest mafia, mining mafia, drug mafia, tender mafia and transfer mafia — in dev bhoomi Himachal and plunged the state into backwardness.

हिमाचल को खनन माफिया, वन माफिया, ड्रग माफिया, टेंडर माफिया और ट्रांसफर माफिया इन पांच दानवों से मुक्ति दिलाने का समय आ गया है है : पीएम मोदी pic.twitter.com/tiZPO8n7Wu

— BJP (@BJP4India) November 2, 2017

While praising the contribution of Himachali soldiers in conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir, Modi brought out the pro-Kashmiri stand that some of the Congress leaders have taken. “We are proud of our jawans. How can Congress leaders speak about ‘_aa_zadi’ and then question, insult the sacrifices of our jawans,” he said. “Congress is a party that now deals only with ‘b__hrashtachaar’ (corruption), ‘pariwaarwaad’ (family), ‘jaatiwaad’ (appeasement of castes). Congress is no longer the party of Mahatma Gandhi. It is a party ridden with communalism,” he added. The prime minister also brought out Congress’ stand on (Bharatiya) Jan Sangh, BJP’s predecessor, and how Jawaharlal Nehru had vowed to end it from existence, stating that it (BJP) has now brought about a ‘public awakening’ in the country. According to PTI, Modi is next headed to Dhaula Kuan in Paonta Sahib, where he will address another rally at 2 pm. The prime minister, the report said, will also address rallies in Sundernagar in Mandi, Rait in Shahpur and Palampur in Kangra district on 4 November and in Kullu and Una on 5 November. Modi’s rally has come just two days after Shah announced 70-year-old Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate. Earlier, Shah had warned Congress of a “BJP Tsunami” in the state. Shah will also be addressing meetings in Una and Kangra on 5 November. The Assembly polls in Congress-ruled Himachal will be held on 9 November. With inputs from agencies