Congress 'Sultan' of Tukde-Tukde gang: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on SUnday slammed the Congress, calling the grand old party the ‘Sultan’ of the tukde-tukde gang that was the INDI-alliance. Speaking in a rally in Mysuru, the PM said the Congress party had every intention of dividing, breaking and weakening the country.

“These are the same people who question the abrogation of Article 370 and ask what connection Kashmir has with the rest of the Indian states,” he said. He also called out the Congress party for an alleged incident where a supporter in one of its rallies had to take permission from the leaders to raise the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki jai,’ calling it “the epitome of Congress’ downfall.” The INDI-alliance, he said, wanted to end the Sanatan dharma [Hindu religion]. “As long as Modi exists, these forces of hatred will always be defeated. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he added.

Hitting out at the Karnataka Congress regime, the PM said it was using the state as its personal ATM and draining the state’s election coffers to fund its election campaign. In a swipe at the Congress’ pre-poll promises that had led it to a landslide victory in the Karnataka assembly polls last year, Modi accused the Congress of reneging on its word, saying that even the development schemes already present were getting discontinued in the state. “Farmers were promised free electricity. Families were promised free food grains. None of it happened, and now the tech hub Bengaluru battles a water crisis, while the party sends money to the central high command,” he said.


This was the PM’s first rally after the NDA released its manifesto earlier in the day. Commenting on aspects of the ‘sankalp patra,’ he described it as “Modi’s guarantee,” promising to end the Congress’ litany of “false promises and corruption.” The Congress, he added, never gave an account of its work in the 60 years it ruled the country, because the party only knew how to bring disaster.

This was the first time the PM was sharing a dias with the NDA’s alliance partner JDS in Karnataka. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda was the senior-most politician in India and the BJP was proud to have his blessings, he said. Modi, who was all praises for the former PM, thanked him for his guidance in Karnataka’s development. “Karnataka is fortunate to have leaders like HD Deve Gowda, [BJP veteran] BS Yediyurappa, and the cooperation of [Gowda’s son and JDS leader] HD Kumaraswamy,” said Modi, as he appealed to voters in neighbouring Mandya to elect Kumaraswamy as their MP in the Lok Sabha polls due in two weeks.

The PM later held a roadshow in Mangaluru, covering a total of six Lok Sabha constituencies from the two events. The BJP alliance, which suffered a heavy defeat in the assembly polls last year, is sparing no efforts to recreate its victory from five years ago when it won 25 of the 28 seats.