PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah reach out to booth workers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah interacted with party workers on Sunday, as the party ramped up its preparations for the 2019 elections. While Modi spoke to booth workers from different Tamil Nadu constituencies via video conferencing, Shah met booth workers in Delhi.

Both leaders were promoting the party's principle of 'mera booth, sabse majboot' (my booth is the strongest). PM Modi told the workers to treat the booth as their family and share their joys and sorrows with everybody, while also emphasising on the importance of technology to keep oneself updated with the world and to connect with the youth in a better way.

He also hit out at the 'Mahagathbandhan', saying it's an unholy alliance by the parties for "personal survival". He also recalled that one of the key members of the alliance, the Telugu Desam Party, came into being because its founder, the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao, wanted to protest the high-handedness of the Congress, but today the party is ready to join hands with the Congress once again.

Some parties in the Mahagathbandhan claim to be inspired by socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, he said, although the veteran leader himself opposed the Congress and its ideologies. Congress' "ecosystem" spared none, he said, pointing out the dismissal of the AIADMK government of late chief minister MG Ramachandran in 1980, even though he had the people's support.

Meanwhile in Delhi, Amit Shah lashed out at the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, saying what happened in the Delhi Assembly over the adoption of a resolution against the 1984 anti-Sikh riots was like "rubbing salt on victims' wounds". He also accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of supporting illegal migrants.

Addressing booth workers in the capital, Shah said the Narendra Modi government has assured justice to victims, even forming a special investigation team and providing compensation to the affected families. Speaking of illegal immigrants, he reiterated that the BJP government will identify and expel "infiltrators" from the country.

He then questioned the Congress's stand over the issue. "The NRC exercise was started in Assam, and as soon as it happened, Rahul baba and company started crying hoarse. I want to ask Rahul if he has any concern for the countrymen dying in terrorist blasts," he said.

Shah accused the Congress of bungling crores of rupees by using the National Herald building as "private property", and alleged that the party hid Rs 600 crore to save income tax.