Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj flay Congress at BJP-HJC rally

BJP chief Nitin Gadkari and senior party leader Sushma Swaraj on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, alleging poverty, unemployment and price rise were the result of its flawed economic policies.

Addressing a Haryana Janhit Congress rally here, the two leaders also targeted the UPA government on the corruption issue saying its government had been rocked by scams at every place.

The only things that the current dispensation had given to the people were unemployment, inflation and rising poverty, Gadkari said.

"They have done scams everywhere. The 2G pertained to spectrum (sky -- airwaves), CWG was on dharti (earth) and the coal was in pataal (earth's deeper crust)," Swaraj told the HJC foundationa day rally.

She alleged the UPA government at the Centre and the Congress dispensation in Haryana had shattered all records of corruption and it was high time the people of the state and the country "punish the two for their sins".

Swaraj asked the people to brace themselves for an early general election, saying developments in the country indicated the Lok Sabha poll might be held next year.

On Haryana, the two leaders said the BJP-Haryana Janhit Congress (BL) alliance in the state was as firm as a rock and was here to stay.

In the event of the alliance coming to power in the state in the next assembly election, HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi would be the Chief Minister for first two-and-a-half-year, they said.

The HJC foundation day rally on the outskirts of Sirsa marked the five years of existence of Hisar MP Bishnoi-led party.

Swaraj said she had raised in the Lok Sabha the issue of rationing of LPG cylinders but was told by the concerned minister that the step could not be taken back as it would entail a burden of Rs 36,000 crore annually on the exchequer.

"It is shameful they cannot take a decision in the interest of the people. But, they don't think twice when they indulge in scams," she said.

The BJP chief said "if Rs 21 lakh crore black money allegedly stashed in foreign banks and other money from scams like 2G and coal are used for betterment of our farmers, the poor and the labour class, the country will become developed and every village will have hospitals and schools."

"The ills plaguing the country like poverty, price rise and unemployment are the result of corruption during the Congress-led UPA rule and flawed economic policies pursued by the government."

He said the Congress-led government "is happy to let Rs 58,000 crore worth foodgrains get destroyed, but does not want to give it to starving poor".

Gadkari, recently under attack for allegations of irregularities against him, said the country was going through its worst phase under the Congress regime.

"The farmers are committing suicides, youths are not getting employment and the country is rocked by scams. In Congress-ruled Haryana, the women are not feeling safe," he said.

Gadkari said the BJP-headed governments in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were pursuing "pro-farmer" policies.

"Farmers are getting free power or subdised power and are getting loans at zero or nominal rate of interest in these states," he said.

Turning to Haryana, both Gadkari and Swaraj said the BJP-HJC alliance was as firm as a rock in the state.

Swaraj said there were some elements who were not happy with the alliance and were spreading rumours about its break up.

"I want to reassure everyone that the HJC-BJP alliance is as firm as a rock and cannot be broken," she said.

There was speculaion that the BJP may patch up with former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala leaving out HJC in the lurch.

Gadkari said the alliance had his full backing.

"The alliance is strong and there is no cause for anyone to worry. As BJP president, I am saying this alliance will jointly contest the next state assembly poll (due in 2014) and the upcoming Lok Sabha election."

In the event of the alliance coming to power in the state in the next assembly election, HJC chief Kuldeep Bishnoi would be the Chief Minister for first two-and-a-half-year, the two leaders said

Swaraj said all issues that could destablise a coalition were carefully resolved at the time of BJP-HJC joining hands in 2011.

"These include the question of leadership while forming government and division of Lok Sabha and assembly seats among the partners. Therefore, there is no scope of the alliance breaking on any such issue," she said.

Swaraj lashed out at the Congress-led government in Haryana alleging the law and order had worsened in the state.

"The daughters of Haryana are not safe and secure under the present dispensation," she said.

Gadkari appealed to the people to send all ten NDA candidates from Haryana to the Lok Sabha in the 2014 general election to enable formation of a "pro-people" government at the Centre.

He wondered how Harayana could talk about industrialisation when the power supply situation in the state was "very bad".

Bishnoi, in his address, said he was optimistic that the HJC-BJP would form the next government in Haryana.

He said the HJC-BJP government would eradicate corruption, provide jobs to unemployed and provide a fair and free administration.

Bishnoi alleged the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in Haryana was pursuing anti-people policies.

Former Haryana Minister Mange Ram Gupta, a close confidant of Bishnoi's father late Bhajan Lal, and former MLA Dura Ram were among several leaders who joined the HJC fold during the rally held in the Dussehra ground.