Meghalaya CM Sangma counters Modi's attack at NRI meet

NEW DELHI: After Narendra Modi's potshots at the Prime Minister at an NRI meet, Congress leader and Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma defended the UPA government, crediting its "visionary leadership" for building the foundation for better days ahead.

"Better days would come because strong foundation has been laid by the leadership," Sangma said in an apparent snub to Modi who in his speech before him had taken a jibe at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his "better times ahead" remark.

Modi suggested that better times would come after polls when his government would take over.

The last of the four CMs to speak at the gathering of NRIs at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, Sangma referred to the "revolutionary legislations" like RTI, which he said was the reason behind "visible transparency", and RTE, crediting the Centre for ushering in these big reforms.

"MNREGA liberated agriculture workforce from suppression and oppression and pushed up wages, ensuring them work and money," he said, praising the job guarantee scheme for driving up people's purchasing power.

Four CMs spoke at the event and Kerala CM Oommen Chandy and Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda spoke before Modi.

It was only after making an elaborate reply to Modi's charge against UPA that Sangma returned to the topic of "investment opportunities" in his north-eastern state.

He presented all north eastern states as a largely "untapped and virgin" investment destination and said investors can tap markets in Bangladesh and Myanmar with their presence there.

"The competition in others states is very stiff. You come to Meghalaya, north east and you will be pleasantly surprised," he said.

He also highlighted the natural beauty of his state and its English-speaking population which would be a "human resource asset" for investors.