The Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, on Wednesday claimed that the NDA on coming to power would solve all issues in 60 months, which were left unsolved by the Congress in 60 years.
Addressing an election rally in Salem in support of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam candidates, Mr. Modi accused the Congress of failing to resolve inter-State disputes over water and power.
The divide-and-rule policy and vote bank politics of Congress would not work anymore. “Congress knows only to talk and roll out schemes. But people are tired of promises and want action,” he said.
When the country celebrated its 75th anniversary of Independence in 2022, all people, mostly poor, would have houses, toilet facilities, power and schools in nearby areas, Mr. Modi said.
Pointing out that the severe power crisis in the State had affected the agriculture and industry, Mr. Modi said interlinking of rivers, which would be implemented by the NDA, would provide both water and electricity. Proper sanitation was the key to the country’s development and open defecation would be eliminated by effectively implementing the total sanitation programme introduced by former Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee, he said.
Mr. Modi, who also addressed an election meeting in Salem, said the NDA in the State, which was a “victorious alliance,” would continue for the Assembly polls too.
He said for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu a third alliance headed by the BJP had been formed and it would put a full stop to the AIADMK and the DMK which ruled the State alternately.
Mr. Modi assured the voters that if the NDA came to power, there would be no unemployment and shortage of drinking water and power. Successive UPA governments, which assured employment for 10 crore youths, were able to provide employment to only 1.5 crore youths. But the Vajpayee-led NDA government provided employment to six crore youths during its tenure.
Referring to the power shortage faced by Tamil Nadu, Mr. Modi said power production units with a capacity of 20,000 MW had been closed for want of coal. “There is no coal in the country, as the entire coal has been looted by the Congress,” he said.
