BJP wants to make India opposition free: Sachin Pilot

Balasore (Odisha) May 18 (PTI) Accusing the BJP of engaging in vendetta politics, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday alleged that the saffron party wants to make India "opposition free".

Addressing an election rally in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency in favour of party candidate and former Union minister Srikant Jena, Pilot accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of completely failing to check the prices of essential commodities, including fuel and cooking gas.

"People across the country have made up their minds to change the central government, which has failed to fulfill its promises of 'acche din'," he asserted.

"BJP wants to make India opposition free. They have frozen the bank accounts of the Congress... two chief ministers were sent to jail," he said.

Also, the credibility of major constitutional bodies is also at stake due to the autocratic style of functioning, Pilot alleged.

"Attempts are being made to weaken the judiciary, Election Commission and media... this pose a grave danger to democracy," he said.

On the four phases of elections completed so far, Pilot claimed that the BJP is already on the back foot in several states in the north, including Rajasthan, where it is in power.

The Congress leader also attacked the BJD government headed by Naveen Patnaik, calling it "non-performing" and alleged that "rampant corruption prevails in Odisha".

He alleged that both BJD and BJP have "common interests" which were reflected in their past actions.