Shah attacks Rahul over Congress' poor track record, eyes 65 seats in C'garh

Ambikapur: BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his party's "dismal" track record in 55 years of its rule, even as he set a target of winning 65 seats in the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

Sounding the bugle for the year-end elections in Chhattisgarh, Shah questioned Gandhi for seeking an account of the work done by the BJP-led government at the Centre in the last four years. The Raman Singh government would retain power in Chhattisgarh and the BJP would win 65 of the 90 seats in the state, where the saffron outfit was in power for nearly 15 years, he said, addressing a public rally in Ambikapur.

"Rahul baba, why are you asking for our account of four years? We do not need to give you any account. We will give an account of every minute and every paisa to people when we go to them to ask for votes. Your family governed the country for four generations and 55 years. Why has there not been any development?" he asked and added that the Modi government launched a new scheme for the poor, farmers and downtrodden in every 15 days.

He said Gandhi should look within before seeking an account of the developmental works from the BJP. "With the onset of summer, they rush to Europe and Italy for vacations. When Rahul baba comes here to ask for votes, will you not ask him about the dismal record of his party?" he said at the rally.

Shah said during the Congress rule, cross-border firing was happening every other day, but no befitting reply was given.

However, this changed after the Modi government assumed office in 2014, Shah said and referred to the September 2016 surgical strikes. "Every other day they used to strike us. 12 of our jawans were killed in Uri (in a terror attack), they did not even get a chance to retaliate. "However, soon after, Modiji sent our jawans for surgical strikes in Pakistan to take revenge," Shah said.