2 senior Cong leaders fighting to establish sons, capture party in MP: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday targeted the opposition Congress, saying two of its senior leaders were fighting in Madhya Pradesh to establish their sons and to capture the party organisation in the state.

A recent viral video of MP Congress president Kamal Nath where he is asking Congress workers to "tear clothes" of his colleague Digvijaya Singh over denial of ticket to a leader from Shivpuri had fuelled talks of a rift in the party over selection of nominees.

However, both the former CMs have sought to make light of the episode and put up a united face ahead of the state polls scheduled on November 17.

Addressing a public meeting in Seoni district of MP ahead of the state elections, Modi said the Congress, despite being in power for five-six decades in the country after Independence, did not do anything for the welfare of the tribal community.

Modi also said the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna, providing free ration to 800 million poor people, will be extended for the next five years.

During the severe COVID-19 crisis, the only thing that bothered me was how the poor people will provide food to their children when everything was closed. They couldn't go out of their homes for work and therefore, I decided to fight to save the people of the country under any condition," he said.

"As a result of this resolve, I decided to provide ration free of cost to 800 million people so that their children get food through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna, he said.

Modi said that as he comes from a poor family and understands the problems being faced by such people, his government has decided to extend the scheme of providing free ration for the next five years.

"During the Congress regime, scams worth lakhs and crores took place but no such thing takes place during the BJP government and the money thus saved is being spent on providing free ration to the poor people, he said.

Slamming the Congress, the PM said the party, despite being in power for five-six decades, did not do anything for the welfare of the tribal community.

For the first time in the country, a separate ministry for the welfare of tribals was constituted when the BJP came to power under the leadership of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi said.

Further targeting the Congress, Modi said two of its big leaders are fighting in Madhya Pradesh to establish their sons and to capture the party organisation in the state.

"The Congress is not contesting polls in the state, but its two big leaders are fighting with each other," he said.

Referring to the mass availability of mobile phones in the country, Modi said the mobile phones as well as data services are cheaper in the country because of his government's policies and ensuring a huge saving for the people.

The monthly charges of Rs 300-400 for mobile phone and data could have been Rs 4,000-5,000 per month had the Congress been in power, he said.

Modi also said that the Janaushadhi Kendras set up by the government offered 80 per cent discount on medicines and saved nearly Rs 25,000 crore of the poor people in the country.

Farmers in India are getting urea at Rs 300 per bag, which is 10 times less than what it costs cultivators in the US, he added.