Amit Shah urges north-east to become Congress-free for development

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday urged the people of the north-eastern states to become Congress-free by giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre a chance to develop the region.

Addressing a public meeting here, Shah said that the northeastern states should also give the BJP a majority just like the people of Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Maharashtra.

"Wherever the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, development has taken place. The GDP rose above 10 percent whereas agriculture GDP rose above 15 percent. The Modi government provided ambulance service, opened a trauma centre, provided 24x7 electricity, opened schools and set up opportunities for every business in every village of India. North-east cannot be devoid of it," he said.

Shah further said that even though the BJP gives Rs. 19 billion for the development of the region, it does not develop due to corruption.

"No matter how much money the Central Government sends here, the development of north-east cannot take place unless a corruption-free government comes to power. From Manipur, I want to urge the people of north-east to remove all corrupt governments and give the BJP a chance to set a corruption-free government," he said.

The BJP chief was in Manipur on a two-day tour ahead of the Autonomous District Council elections scheduled to take place on June 1.