Congress targeting Modi because of his charisma: Maha BJP chief

Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Phadanvis alleged that Congress was targeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi because of his charisma, and his recent appointment as chief of BJP`s campaigning committee.

Nashik: Maharashtra BJP chief Devendra Phadanvis on Friday alleged that Congress was targeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi because of his charisma, and his recent appointment as chief of BJP`s campaigning committee. Modi`s popularity had scared Congress, he claimed.

Talking to media here, Phadanvis countered the criticism directed at Modi over his visit to rain-ravaged Uttarakhand. "It was wrong to say that Modi went there only to help victims from Gujarat...He met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and told him that Gujarat government was ready to take the responsibility of renovation of the damaged Kedarnath temple and to provide other aid," Phadanvis said. The BJP leader also informed that farmers from Maharashtra would be contributing scrap metal for the proposed off-shore statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat. Talking about Maharashtra politics, the newly-appointed state BJP chief said Congress`s vote share was declining in Maharashtra with every election, but it retained power thanks to the divided opposition. Therefore BJP wanted to take MNS on board, but it was not going to wait for anybody, he said. Phadanvis also expressed confidence that BJP would emerge as the largest party in Maharashtra in 2014 Assembly polls. PTI