New Delhi: Taking a jibe over the reported row in BJP over a move to field Narendra Modi from Varanasi and Rajnath Singh from Lucknow, Congress on Monday wondered as to why Opposition party leaders were looking for a safe seat if there was a Modi wave across the country.
The party also hit out at BJP over its overtures to Raj Thackeray in Maharashtra noting while Modi reaches out to Hindi-speaking people in Bihar, his party wooed MNS, which "humiliated" those from Hindi heartland in Maharashtra.
Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed`s remarks targetting BJP`s prime ministerial candidate came on a day when Modi addressed a rally in Purnea in Bihar. Ahmed hails from Bihar.
He said it is ironical that L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who took BJP`s tally so high with their "communal" politics are now themselves not finding space.
"Advani and Joshi had a big contribution in taking BJP`s tally to a high by creating a communal atmosphere. on Monday when that atmosphere is being further vitiated, their own space is in trouble," he said.
Ahmed also said the very search for a secure seat for Modi and BJP President Rajnath Singh in Varanasi and Lucknow makes one wonder where is the "so-called NaMo wave".
"While we are firmly in our places and contesting from our seats, BJP leaders are up to change their seats. So where is the Modi wave," he asked.
On BJP`s bid to woo Raj Thackeray, he said, "BJP can go to any extent for electoral gains. What kind of politics this is? Some days before former BJP President Nitin Gadkari had gone to meet Raj Thackeray whose party MNS has been humiliating Hindi-speaking populace. Thackeray has now promised to support Modi`s PM candidature."
"on Monday Modi is seeking votes from the same Hindi-speaking people who were abused by these parties. BJP, which claims maximum support in Hindi states, has alliance with Shiv Sena. Both Sena and MNS have persecuted the same people. The nation should see what is their politics," he said.
The division of NDA votes due to Raj Thackeray`s party fighting polls is attributed as a major reason behind the victory of Congress-NCP combine in the 2009 elections, where the MNS played spoiler in a number of regions.
Ahmed said the Sena not only attacked Hindi-speaking people or those hailing from north India but other communities as well including Gujaratis, south Indians and minorities during 1992-93 riots in Mumbai.
"Their politics is that while BJP will get votes of Hindi language speaking population, Shiv Sena and MNS will garner the support of those abusing these communities," he said.
Addressing a rally in Purnea, Modi attacked Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Congress-ruled states.
Lauding the NDA steered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said there were three kinds of alliances -- `gathbandhan` (coalition) represented by NDA under Vajpayee, `brashtbandhan` (grouping of corrupt persons) and `lathbandhan` (alliance of those indulging in violence).
Reacting to it, Ahmed reminded Modi that BJP has brought back former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who was booked in land scam case.
He also referred to allegations of corruption involving other BJP chief ministers in the past including Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank in Uttarakhand.
Amid media reports that BJP could align with Om Prakash Chautala`s INLD for next Lok Sabha polls, Ahmed, who is also AICC general secretary in-charge for Haryana said, "Leave the issue of aligning with those outside, BJP is not even leaving those who are in jail. They are talking even to them."
Chautala is in jail in case of job scam case.
The Congress leader also said it is as true as the existence of the Sun and and the Moon that Mahatma Gandhi was killed due to the mindset of the RSS.
