Jharkhand CM's chair was up for sale during Congress-JMM rule: Modi

In a blistering attack on the Congress-JMM alliance in Jharkhand, where assembly elections are underway in five phases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (December 3) said during their rule, reports of only corruption and loot would come from the state.

The prime minister, while addressing a poll rally in Jamshedpur, said several Congress and JMM leaders are still facing trial in corruption cases. “The Jharkhand chief minister’s chair was even up for sale during the Congress-JMM rule,” he alleged.

Also read | Failed to keep promises, BJP dwells on ‘magic’ to win Jharkhand elections

The state has seen ten chief ministers in fourteen years, which was only because of self-interest of the Congress and the JMM. “For the first time BJP has given Jharkhand a chief minister who stayed for five years,” the prime minister said.

Modi said Jamshedpur is a land of labour and enterprise, and it has fulfilled dreams of millions of people and enhanced India’s reputation in the world. He said the BJP dispensation has taken the central government out of Delhi to every corner of India and Jharkhand has benefitted from this change in the system.

At another rally in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, Modi alleged the opposition alliance followed the politics of “deception”, while the BJP believed in service of people. He said the people of Jharkhand have faith that BJP alone can ensure the state’s development. The prime minister also accused the Congress of delaying resolution of the vexed Kashmir problem and the Ayodhya dispute.

“We ensured peaceful settlement of the Ayodhya dispute after the Congress kept it hanging fire for decades. Article 370 is gone from Jammu and Kashmir and an Adivasi Lt Governor has been entrusted with the task of taking the newly created union territories forward on the path of development,” he said.

Also read | Poverty, hunger, deaths: Aadhaar, systems fail the poor in Jharkhand

Reaching out to the vast tribal electorate, the prime minister said, “Lord Ram left Ayodhya as a prince but returned as ‘Maryada Purushottam’ 14 years later as he spent time with Adivasis in forests.” He also lauded the Raghubar Das government for “breaking the back” of Naxalism in the state.

(With inputs from agencies)