Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday slammed the Congress, alleging there was regional bias and favouritism in jobs while corruption was rampant in all spheres when the party was in power in the state.
At a poll rally in Jhajjar, he claimed the Narendra Modi government initiated many schemes in the last 10 years for the benefit of the poor and farmers, bringing smiles to their faces.
On the other hand, the Congress in its six decades in power did nothing for poverty alleviation other than raising the 'garibi hathao' slogan, he alleged.
In a veiled jibe at Rahul Gandhi, the senior BJP leader said, "Now, Congress' 'yuvraj' says that he will eradicate poverty in one stroke. Which 'Aladdin Ka Chirag' (magic lamp) has he got now?"
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Asserting that the Modi government's scheme benefitted all sections of the society, Saini said that across the country there is a consensus that "Ab ki baar 400 paar". Leaders of the ruling BJP have time and again exuded confidence that the NDA would win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP alone winning 370 seats.
He asserted that the country is moving ahead rapidly on the path of progress under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
Canvassing for the BJP's sitting MP from Rohtak Arvind Sharma, who in 2019 defeated the Congress' Deepender Singh Hooda, the Haryana chief minister alleged that "regionalism and 'parivarvaad' flourished in Haryana when the Congress was in power.
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"There was favouritism in giving jobs while corruption was rampant," the Senior BJP leader said.
With the opposition often targeting the BJP-led government in the state over the law-and-order situation while alleging that many traders have received ransom calls, Saini said criminals will not be spared.
Targeting Deepender Hooda, the probable candidate of the Congress in Rohtak Lok Sabha seat, Saini said that during campaigning he levelled false allegations.
Deepender had recently said people in Rohtak city had informed him that dirty water was being supplied to the residents while many areas were not getting water supply for months.
"The Congress leader here makes baseless allegations. Everyone knows what they did during their time. Be it Bahadurgarh, Rohtak, Sampla or Jhajjar, our mothers and sisters had to carry a pot of water on their heads and walk for kilometres. The BJP government has ensured clean drinking water in everyone's homes," he said.
On some traders receiving ransom calls, Saini said those indulging in such acts will have to face consequences.
"We want to warn such elements. We have given directions to the police that if anyone issues a threat over the phone, immediate action should be taken. People want peace, they want development.
"I want to assure the traders that they need be scared of anything. No one needs to be scared. We know very well how to teach a lesson to such people. There is no question of sparing them and they will be dealt with firmly," Saini asserted.
Polling for all the 10 seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of general elections on May 25.
