Assam win bears out good governance, development: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Hailing the first ever victory for BJP in Assam as "a testimony of Modi government's good governance and development politics", union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said the party is expanding across the country.

"The Assam win is a stamp of public approval for the work done by our government during the last two years. It is a victory of development politics and the failure of the Congress rule," said a statement by ETV television network, citing Prasad as telling one of its interviewers.

The minister said that compared to 2011, the BJP won more seats and bettered its vote share in West Bengal, adding that the party could also open its account in Kerala.

Expressing concern over rising crime incidents in Bihar, Prasad said "jungle raj has returned" in the state, according to the ETV statement.

The minister said that when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a member of the ruling coalition in Bihar, there was no lawlessness.

"Our government is working against the corruption and the corrupt. The increasing foreign investment and a growth rate of 7.5 percent speak for the work done by this government. It is the beginning of good days," he said.

Alluding to the alleged 2G spectrum scam, Prasad said Sanchar Bhavan (Telecom Ministry headquarters) has now been purged of "the middlemen" and the corrupt practices.

"Now, nobody can point a finger at the auctioning of spectrum by the government," he said, claiming that he has made BSNL a profit-making company in less than two years' time.

"During previous government term, the number of BSNL customers was eight lakh. Now it is 23 lakh, with a profit of Rs.672 crore," the minister noted.

Speaking on Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook's recent visit to India, Prasad said the American mobile phone giant may invest in India.

The minister criticised the Congress and the Left Front for their alliances in West Bengal and said his is not a party that will play a friend in one state and a foe in another.

--IANS

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