Rahul Gandhi's balloon will burst too, not just Narendra Modi's: CPI

CHENNAI: Joining issue with Rahul Gandhi who flayed the Gujarat development model as a "new heavier balloon" filled with "gas", CPI today said there were hardly any differences in the economic policies of both Congress and BJP and such 'balloon stories' are not of any use and cannot resurrect the country.

"Will Rahul's balloon continue to fly,?" CPI National Secretary D Raja asked when his reaction was sought on the Congress vice-president comment on Modi's much-touted Gujarat development model.

Addressing election meetings in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh yesterday, Rahul had flayed it as a "new heavier balloon" filled with "gas" and said it will also burst like the BJP's 'India Shining' campaign in 2004 and 2009.

Raja said the Gujarat model of development and Congress' growth model based on liberalisation were the same and hence, "such balloon stories are not of use and (economic policies of BJP and Congress) cannot resurrect India."

Asked if that means Rahul's balloon (Congress economic policies allegedly favouring corporates) will burst, he replied in the affirmative and stated that it is not only Modi's balloon (Gujarat model of growth) that will burst.

Asserting that the country was facing an economic crisis, Raja said there was a dire need to reverse the "neo liberal and anti-people" economic policies. "People should vote for the Left parties to save India and to ensure the welfare of the common man."

On an alternative front, he said such a formation was not available "readymade," and "it has to be built...it is an effort and process which will continue."

On IAF's Hercules aircraft crash, Raja said India should be self-reliant in the defence sector.

Earlier, the CPI's election manifesto was released which outlined alternative socio-economic policies including State ownership of all natural resources like minerals, oil and gas.

A firm no to FDI in retail trade, ending public-private partnership as it legalised private appropriation, law for auditing big companies, making CAG a constitutional authority, unemployment allowance to all unemployed were among the features detailed in the manifesto.