Modi targets Congress, says 'CBI-IB pitted against each other'

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a frontal attack on the Congress Party, and alleged that it is using undemocratic means to stay in power at the Centre.

Referring to the questioning of top Intelligence Bureau official by the CBI in Ishrat Jahan encounter case, Modi said that the Congress Party has pitted the CBI and IB against each other

The CBI had earlier this month grilled Intelligence Bureau Special Director Rajinder Kumar on his alleged role in the conspiracy to carry out the fake encounter in which Ishrat Jahan and three others were killed nine years ago.

Modi further said the UPA Government has been reduced to a lethargic system, and added that formation of policies alone can't ensure results.

"In the name of planning, the National Advisory Council was formed giving short shrift to the Planning Commission," he said, while addressing the gathering on the sidelines of a book launch function here.

Modi, who is on a maiden visit to Mumbai after taking over as the chief of BJP's poll panel, earlier in the day met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's Matoshree residence here.

The meeting seen as an attempt on Modi's part to pacify sulking Udhav Thackeray, who had earlier expressed his displeasure over the Gujarat Chief Minister's tall claims of rescuing 15,000 Gujaratis from flood ravaged Uttarakhand.

Thackeray had, however, later defended the criticism against Modi published in the Sena journal, and said that the latter being seen as the country's future Prime Minister should not have just come to the rescue of the people of his own state.

The Gujarat Chief Minister's meeting with Thackeray is also seen as an attempt by the BJP not to take risk of losing another crucial ally after the exit of Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal (United).

Modi also met the Maharashtra BJP leaders, and formulated strategies for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.