Congress eyes MP as ATM for LS polls, Modi mocks Karnataka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged the Congress wanted to turn Madhya Pradesh into an “ATM” for generating funds for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a rally in Khandwa in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Modi alleged the Congress was always concerned about the development of a single family.

“People have to save the state from the clutches of Congress. Ensure that it won’t go into the wrong hands. Do you know why Congress is desperate to form a government in Madhya Pradesh? It wanted to make MP its ATM in view of the Lok Sabha elections. They want to loot money of state stashed in tractors,” Modi said. When the Congress was in power at the Center, it had indulged in scams worth lakhs and crores and was not worried about the people, he said.

“But now the people have recognised them and thrown them out of power from every corner of the country and therefore, they are looking at the states with a lot of greed,” he said.

Modi alleged wherever the Congress government was formed “by mistake”, a competition to loot the state between its chief minister and his deputy is taking place and such news is coming regularly from Karnataka.He also took a veiled jibe at Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath over the latter’s “tear clothes” remarks, which had raised speculation about differences between the two former chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh ahead of polls.

“The Congress’ hunger for money grew manifold after remaining out of power for many years,” the PM said and referred to media reports about the plundering of money by the ruling party in Rajasthan and other states.

He also exuded confidence to come back to power for the third consecutive time in the country and urged people to ensure that they vote for forming a BJP government in Madhya Pradesh to take advantage of the double-engine growth. Modi said his government would spend Rs 15,000 crore for the welfare of the Bhaira, Baiga and Saharia tribes through a special mission.