PANAJI: Promising to make Goa the “most comfortable” state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought a comfortable majority for BJP in the February 4 polls as he dared Congress and AAP to fight on development plank instead of raking up minor issues like election dates and advancement of the Union budget.
Addressing his first rally in Goa since the announcement of Assembly polls here, Modi also referred to the surgical strikes carried out by the army across the LoC in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir in September last year while showering praise on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, the former Chief Minister from this state.
“This election is to free Goa from the disease of political instability. During the decade of 1990s, Goa saw as many as 12 Chief Ministers and this has pushed behind all the achievements of Goa,” he said. “Goa should not commit the mistake of ushering in instability. It should give BJP a comfortable majority. I assure you that if you give us a comfortable majority, we will make Goa the most comfortable state,” he said. Lamenting the trend of “vote-cutting” by some in elections, Modi cautioned the voters, saying, “these are the people who cut into the pockets of democracy. They are pick- pockets of democracy and they can never think of helping anyone as they try to show democracy down and attempt to weaken it.” Daring the opposition to contest polls on development plank, the Prime Minister said it pained him to see parties running away from a debate on the issue. He said some parties have already conceded defeat and started finding excuses, an apparent dig at Congress and AAP for raking up issues like fixing of poll dates and advancement of Union Budget. While attacking Congress and AAP, he asked people not to fall into their trap as he wanted to do all that has not not been done in the last 50 years and help fill Goa with tourists from across the world. In an apparent attack on AAP for questioning the Election Commission over fixing poll dates, he accused it of not having faith in the “umpire” and said it has already conceded defeat and was finding excuses. He alleged that an attempt is being made to lower the values of democracy and some people took pride in doing so.—PTI
