Elections 2014: Congress has already conceded defeat: Venkaiah Naidu
Chennai: Claiming that Congress leaders have developed cold feet over their prospects at the polls, BJP senior M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Congress has reconciled to a defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and opted out of the race even before the people have decided its fate.
“No one wants to be seen with the Congress any more because people’s anger will affect them too and no party is willing to go with the Congress, which has become untouchable,” he told mediapersons here Sunday. One after another, right from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, finance minister P. Chidambaram to Union shipping minister G.K. Vasan, are running away from facing the polls.
On the other hand, the acceptance of the BJP and the popularity of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi were increasing by the day, with more persons, including numerous prominent personalities, either joining the BJP or expressing support to it, he said.
“People are tired and disgusted with the Congress, which made the country face a lot of challenges. The people want an able leader and a stable government.
They have developed a liking for Modi and the BJP, which can deliver the goods,” he said, adding that the Congress was unable to find a match for Mr Modi. He maintained that the country is set to have Mr Modi as the next Prime Minister.
Playing down the differences within the party, forcing seniors to shift out of their constituencies, Mr Naidu claimed that senior leaders were not being sidelined. “The party is united. How can anybody think of sidelining a person like Advani, who is a towering personality in Indian politics? He will continue to guide us. The party needs him, the country needs him. Advaniji has been given a choice. He has chosen Gandhinagar,” he said.
Predicting a big surprise in the elections from Tamil Nadu, Venkaiah Naidu said the state, like other parts of the country, was witnessing Modi wave and would help to secure maximum number of MPs.
“See the Modi wave sweeping across the state too,” he said when his comments were sought on suspended DMK leader M.K. Alagiri’s remark that he would welcome if Mr Modi became Prime Minister. “First the father (DMK chief M. Karunanidhi) lauds Modiji, and now son (Alagiri) wants him to become Prime Minister,” Mr Venkaiah said on Sunday.
