Gujarat Assembly elections 2017: My govt is not for Ambanis and Adanis, but for the poor, says PM Modi

The second phase of Gujarat polls is on December 14, when voting will be held in the remaining 93 seats.

Pic courtesy: Twitter/@narendramodi

Vadodara: Addressing an election rally in Vadodara, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the Gujarat Assembly elections were about the development agenda of BJP versus the destructive politics of the Congress.

He also said, "When our soldiers were fighting in Doklam, Congress leaders were meeting Chinese Ambassador. When asked why he said - to get a sense of what is happening in Doklam. Now, you tell me - in such times should we trust our authorities more or the Chinese."

"My government is for the poor. I can't understand the lies Congress keeps saying. When we build a state of the art bus terminus for Vadodara, do we do it because Mukesh Ambani, Tata or Birla uses it? No, we make this to serve the poor," PM Modi maintained. 

He further said, "We give gas connections... are Ambanis, Adanis and Tatas the beneficiaries? No, the poor are. Congress should stop their lies and focus on development issues," as per ANI.

Here are some pictures from today's Vadodara rally. pic.twitter.com/IAIiI1zX20 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 10, 2017

Earlier on Sunday, addressing rallies in Palanpur and Kaalol, PM Modi suggested Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly elections in Gujarat, claiming some Pakistani officials and former PM Manmohan Singh met a day before Mani Shankar Aiyar made the "neech" jibe against him.

He said the meeting took place at Aiyar's residence.

PM Modi also raised questions about the alleged appeal by former director general (DG) of the Pakistan Army Sardar Arshad Rafiq for making senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel the CM of Gujarat.

"There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house. It was attended by Pakistan's high commissioner, Pakistan's former foreign minister, India's former vice president and former PM Manmohan Singh," he told an election rally at Palanpur, PTI reported.

The meeting at Aiyar's house continued for almost three hours, PM Modi said, adding "the next day, Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi is 'neech' (a vile man). This is a serious matter."

"(On one hand) Pakistan Army's former DG is interfering in Gujarat's election, on the other, Pakistani people are holding a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house. After that meeting, people of Gujarat, backward communities, poor people and Modi were insulted. Don't you think such events raise doubts," he asked.

Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala, however, rubbished PM Modi's claim, terming it as "baseless".

(With Agency inputs)