Baghel only did scams in Chhattisgarh: Modi

Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he could sense a public clamour for change in Chhattisgarh to facilitate the return of the BJP to power in the state in the year-end Assembly elections.

Addressing a massive public rally in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, marking the end of the 16-day "Parivartan Yatra", a mass outreach campaign launched by the BJP in the state on September 12, Mr Modi said, “The enthusiasm I have noticed among the people here clearly demonstrates that a change is in the air in Chhattisgarh”.

“The people of Chhattisgarh have decided not to tolerate the atrocities perpetrated on them by the Congress government in the state and made up their minds to dump the Congress and vote the BJP back to power in the state in the upcoming Assembly elections,” Mr Modi said.

Terming the Bhupesh Baghel government as "corrupt", Mr Modi said that scandals have become the hallmark of the 5 years of the Congress' rule in Chhattisgarh.

“Employment opportunities have been marred by scams and corruption is prevalent in every government initiative”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that it was only the BJP that sensed the potential and aspirations of Chhattisgarh, which was established by the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s decision to carve out Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh in 2000.

The Prime Minister said that the BJP-ruled government at the Centre was always generous towards Chhattisgarh by sanctioning various infrastructure projects for the state.

The previous Congress-led UPA government at the Centre used to make an allocation of `300 crores per annum for the development of the railways sector in the state. However, this year, the Union government has sanctioned `6,000 crores for railways expansion in the state, adding that the Centre has also allotted Vande Bharat Express trains to Chhattisgarh.

Recalling the recent statement by Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister T.S. Singh Deo appreciating the Centre for supporting the state in various areas, he said that the former’s remarks had created havoc in the Congress instead of making his party leaders happy.

Mr Modi accused the Bhupesh Baghel government of stalling various infrastructure projects sanctioned by the Centre for the state and wondered how a state could progress if developmental works were stopped.

Speaking at the "Parivartan Mahasankalp rally", Mr Modi pledged not to spare any efforts for the development of the state.

“It is Modi’s guarantee to guarantee the realisation of the dreams and aspirations of the people of Chhattisgarh”, the Prime Minister said.

Mr Modi said that the passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament recently demonstrated his commitment to his guarantees.