Votes for parties other than Cong will strenthen Modi: Sharma

Seeking to avert a division of secular votes, Congress today warned that votes cast in favour of parties other than it will strengthen Narendra Modi, whose Gujarat model of development is "flawed" and poses a "great threat" to Indian democracy.
"This will be a decisive election of ideologies. Only Congress can maintain a democratic inclusive system. Only Congress is competent to stop this other kind of ideology... It is necessary that the vote is not wasted (jaroori hai ki vote kharab na ho).
"A vote cast in favour of other parties will strengthen that force in an indirect manner...This is the danger," Commerce Minister and Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here.

Alleging that Modi's philosophy is one of "political plagiarism", Sharma said, "His model of development is seriously flawed and poses a great threat to Indian democracy and therefore he needs to be stopped..."
The Union minister at the same time rejected criticism of party chief Sonia Gandhi yesterday meeting with a delegation led by Jama Masjid imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari. BJP today hit out at Gandhi accusing her of engaging in communal politics.
Sharma, however said that showing honour to religious leaders or meeting them is not communalism. "Communalism is in thinking, in ideology. It is they (BJP), who want to polarise otherwise why (Modi) chose Varanasi to contest. It is their habit to try to polarise in the name of religion. Congress represents nationalism."

He also poohpoohed BJP over talks of "Modi Tsunami" saying Tsunami only brings devastation. "If BJP feels there is a Tsunami in their favour, they and the country should guard and be watchful against any such evil."

Sharma said that while Modi's all claims of Gujarat's development model are "hollow" as statistics show, there is also a need to look at the Gujarat model of democracy.
"After Modi became chief minister, the Assembly did not function more than 23 days in a year. Gujarat CM did not give the media the honour of replying to their queries in a press conference.

"He also has the unique distinction of being the only Chief Minister, who did not participate in Governor's address to the state legislature or participated in any discussion on budget. Live coverage of Gujarat Assembly is banned for cameraman and photographers," Sharma said.