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Let Rahul fight in TVM: Narendra Modi

PM slams Cong-CPM ‘gusthi in Kerala, dosthi in Delhi’

Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanded an answer from Congress president Rahul Gandhi as to why he did not contest either from Thiruvananthapuram or Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituencies.

Mr Modi, who gave a mixed speech in English and Malayalam, reasoned that when Mr Gandhi was calling for oneness between North and South India, he could have conveyed the message better by contesting either from Thiruvananthapuram or Pathanamthitta.

Coming down heavily on the Congress and CPM during the last leg of the election campaign rally at Central Stadium here on Thursday evening, Mr Modi said, “If both Congress and CPM are up in arms against each other, they are one in New Delhi. Mr Gandhi maintained that he will not utter a word against the CPM while contesting from Wayanad. It is gusthi in Kerala, but dosthi in New Delhi between them. Their politics is opportunistic,” said Mr Modi.

He promised to go any extreme to ensure that the beliefs of the people on the Sabarimala issue are ensured if the NDA government returned to power. However, the PM did not utter ‘Sabarimala’ or ‘Lord Ayyappa’ in his 45 mintues long speech.

The Prime Minister, who was delayed by more than an hour, to reach the capital city said the name of the God cannot be uttered and if so, the Communist government would put the offender behind bars and even resort to lathi charge.

“When the poll outcome is known on May 23 and the BJP government comes back to power, right from the court to the Parliament, the beliefs of the people will be protected. We will also ensure Constitutional rights,” added Mr Modi.

Citing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's alleged involvement in the Lavalin scam, Mr Modi alleged that Mr Vijayan was under cloud for not paying compensation package to flood victims. In his speech, Mr Modi referred former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan who was implicated in the espionage case, in the presence of former DGP T.P. Sen Kumar who was also on the dais. Despite the court demanding that there is no need for re-probe on the spy scandal, the then investigating official Sen Kumar had gone ahead with the investigation. But the irony was that when Mr Modi addressed Nambi Narayanan as the “son of the soil”, Sen Kumar applauded.

“To form a formidable government, it should be supported by strong votes. For that a strong chowkidar is required. You all should give votes to this chowkidar. Each vote you cast for lotus would be for Modi,” added Modi.

This was Modi’s second trip to Kerala as part of election campaigning for Kummanam Rajasekharan and Sobha Surendran in Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal respectively. His first election programme was in Kozhikode.

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