PM Modi drags Gujarat poll campaign to its nadir: Shiv Sena

TIL Desk/National/Mumbai/ The Shiv Sena has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of resorting to “histrionics” and pulling the ongoing poll campaign for the Gujarat elections to “a new low”.

The critical ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party said that Modi “dug up the graves of the Mughal regime” in his campaign – instead of speaking about “vikas” (development) issues – to target the opposition Congress.

“The people of Gujarat had already rejected the Congress for 22 years for this very reason… The PM chose to ignore the progress and developmental issues and stooped to mere ‘tu-tu, main-main’ (rhetoric) in his own home-state,” the Sena in a strong edit in the party mouthpieces, “Saamana” and “Dopahar Ka Saamana”, said.

It pointed out how Modi oscillated between “very emotional” and “highly aggressive” in his public meetings and wondered what prompted the BJP to such bottom-level campaigning tactics, with its party chief Amit Shah, all cabinet ministers, state Chief Ministers and other leaders swooping on Gujarat to defeat Congress Vice President Rahul (Gandhi).

The edit mentioned the “neech” (lowly) reference made by “jobless” Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar which Modi countered by claiming it was “an attack on Gujarati pride” which raked up a controversy that subsided only after Aiyar apologised.