Eyeing a return to power after a gap of 15 years, BJP today kick started its election campaign for Delhi assembly polls, promising to provide good governance and making the "heart" of the nation a better city.
Launching the campaign on the birthday of Narendra Modi, BJP president Rajnath Singh said he was confident of party's victory in the polls as the "banbaash" (banishment) does not last beyond 14 years. He cited the development model of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for good governance.
"The BJP government has been in "banbaash" for the last 14 years. But this is also true that banbaash does not last beyond 14 years and like Lord Ram, in Delhi too, in this 15th year BJP will be accepted by the people," Singh said addressing a gathering at Talkotara stadium.
Describing Delhi as heart of the country, he said if BJP wins love of people of Delhi, then it would also storm back to power at the Centre.
"Delhi is India's heart. If one wants victory, one has to win the heart and if one does that, we will become victorious in the country as well," he said in the presence of senior party colleagues Nitin Gadkari, Venkaiah Naidu and Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Slamming the Congress government in Delhi for "failure" in various areas, he cited Modi's development model and said it has now become a model state in the entire country.
"Small countries within a span of 15 years become developed countries but under the Congress rule, Delhi has remained backward. Within 10 years, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has developed the state and devised such a development model that it has become a model state for the entire country," Singh said.
"In Madhya Pradesh, when BJP was not in power, it was considered to be sick state but Shivraj Singh Chauhan in just seven years, brought the state amongst the developed ones in the country. Chattisgarh too is an example in the same context," he said.
Singh also attacked the Delhi government for hike in power and water tariffs.
"Not only in Delhi's history but in the country's history, in a span of 3-4 years, the rates of electricity has increased by 20 per cent and water by 1,000 per cent. Half of the population of Delhi resides in slums," he said.
