"You people must show the same enthusiasm as you had shown during the Lok Sabha elections and give us a full majority to make the government in Delhi...Do not allow the Aam Aadmi Party to a make a backdoor entry this time," Irani said.
She was making an apparent reference to the AAP government formed with the support of Congress in December 2013, which lasted for 49 days.
Irani, in her brief speech, also launched an offensive against the Congress by recalling the midnight crackdown by the then UPA government on a group of anti-corruption protesters at the Ramlila Maidan, a couple of years ago.
"The then Congress had issued lathicharge orders on unarmed people in the middle of the night. And, one Raj Bala even died after suffering injuries in the incident. The Congress government then tried to appease the family by offering a compensation, but it was refused," she said.
In a veiled attack on Congress and AAP, she said, "Jo tijori ko saaf nahin kar sake, wo ab jhadoo se saaf karna chahte hain (Those who couldn't clear the treasure chest, are now using a broom to clean it)."
"A well known Congress leader had said that when Rs 1 travels from the top, only 10-20 paisa reaches the beneficiary at the bottom, but our PM has ensured that through Jan Dhan Yojana even the poorest and the most disadvantaged has a bank account...Till January 26, we have opened 12 crore accounts amounting to Rs 10,000 crore," she said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
