Lok Sabha Elections: Congress a lie-manufacturing machine, says BJP's Ajay Bhatt

The Uttarakhand BJP on Friday accused the Congress of being a "lie-manufacturing machine" and said its stands on Rafale deal and the Balakot air strike were all set to cost it dearly in the Lok Sabha polls.

It also accused the Congress of lacking maturity and being irresponsible. "The Congress has become a lie-manufacturing machine. It spoke one lie after another on Rafale deal to mislead the masses.

It did not stop spreading lies on the issue even after the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the government on the deal," state BJP president Ajay Bhatt told PTI in an interview. Hes said this penchant for "spreading lies" is going to prove very costly for the party in elections. "People can see through the party's lies and are in a mood to reject it completely at the hustings," Bhatt said.

Claiming that the people had made up their mind about electing Narendra Modi again as prime minister, he said the general feeling countrywide is that India is safe only in his hands. "The way it (Congress) sided with Pakistan after the air strikes in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack reflects the lack of maturity of the Congress leadership.

In times of war, no matter what its scale is, the country should speak in one voice and show a united face but the Congress chose to do the opposite," he said. Bhatt said the Congress demand for a proof of the destruction of terror targets in Balakot was hailed by the Pakistani authorities as it suited their scheme of things.

He said he was confident of the BJP sweeping all the five seats in Uttarakhand which it holds at present. "The BJP will not just get votes this time it will bask in a virtual shower of votes," he said. Election to five Lok Sabha constituencies in the state will be held on April 11.

Bhatt also credited Modi with taking positive steps for all sections of the society regardless of caste or creed in the last five years. "Be it women, farmers, the poor or the youth, Modi kept his promises to improve their lot," the BJP state president said.

"While self-employment generation schemes like stand up India, start up India opened up fresh avenues for employment of the jobless youth, Ujjwala, Jan Dhan, Kisan Samman Nidhi and Shram Man Dhan Yojana were big steps towards empowering women, farmers and labourers in the unorganised sector," he said.

Modi gave reservation to the poor in the unreserved categories to provide equal opportunity to all sections, Bhatt said. When asked about speculations about some BJP leaders joining the Congress at Rahul Gandhi's rally here Saturday, Bhatt said it was "another lie" concocted by the party to pull the crowds.

"Let alone the party leaders, not even an ordinary BJP worker is going to join the Congress at Rahul Gandhi's rally. Who will join a sinking ship?" he asked. He said on the five Lok Sabha seats in the state more than 36 aspirants have staked their claims. All the names with those of the sitting MPs on top have been forwarded to the party's central poll committee which will take a final call on the matter anytime between March 16-18, Bhatt said.

"Once the BJP central poll committee puts its stamp of approval on a name as the party's official nominee for a seat everyone will have to work unitedly to ensure their victory. Any breach of party discipline in this regard will attract stern action," he warned.

-PTI