Modi attacks 'arrogant' Nitish, Congress 'shahzada'

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Thursday hit out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and called him an "arrogant" man whose government appeared to be "happy" after the Patna blasts.

"The Chhattigarh chief minister (Raman Singh) behaved as a sensitive person and constituted a high-level inquiry and personally met family members of Congress leaders killed in blasts by Maoists on May 25. But the Bihar chief minister behaved as an arrogant man and even failed to admit mistakes when a series of bombs went off in and around the BJP rally," the Gujarat chief minister said at an election rally in the tribal heartland of Bastar.

Seven people were killed and over 80 others injured when six bombs exploded in Patna Oct 27, most of them in and around the sprawling Gandhi Maidan where Modi later addressed a rally.

"The Chhattisgarh government was very serious and sensitive when blasts hit Congress leaders but the Bihar government appeared to be 'happy' when questions were raised about the Patna blasts," Modi said in his 40-minute speech.

Modi also hit out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

Referring to Gandhi, Modi said: "The 'shahzada' in Delhi is taking credit for adopting Food Security Bill in the country. But the fact is that BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh was the first state in the country to have implemented the Food Security Bill years back."

"People of Chhattisgarh have done excellent work by voting out Congress in the first assembly polls in 2003," Modi said amid loud cheers and applause.

"Chhattisgarh would have been ruined and devastated, had the Congress been allowed to govern the state. Chhattisgarh has made tremendous progress in the past 10 years during the BJP rule and now it's a must for the people to allow the BJP government to continue for rapid development of the state," Modi said.

He said the Congress-led union government failed to deliver in all its commitments and the nation was reeling under all sorts of troubles, burdens and scams.

Modi heaped praises on Raman Singh.

"Chhattisgarh will overtake Gujarat in development and I would personally be very happy if it happens in coming years during the BJP regime," he said.

Modi urged people to give up the tendency of voting for any party on the basis of caste or community and asked them to vote only for development.

"Development should be the only criteria for voting," Modi said.

Chhattisgarh is scheduled to elect a new 90-member assembly in two-phases of polling. Ballotting for 18 seats will be held Nov 11 and for the remaining 72 on Nov 19.