"Congress' Shehzada will run away from Wayanad...": PM Modi takes jibe at Rahul Gandhi

Nanded (Maharashtra), Apr 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying that the way "Congress' Shehzada ran away from Amethi" after 2019 in a similar manner he will have to run away from Wayanad after the Lok Sabha polls this year.

Addressing a public gathering in Nanded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The crisis is visible for Congress' Shehzada in Wayanad. Shehzada and his gang are waiting for April 26 when voting in Wayanad will be concluded. After the voting concludes in Wayanad, they will again announce a safe seat for him as their alliance partners are hurling abuse at each other. The way he ran away from Amethi, he will again run away from Wayanad."

Boosting the morale of party workers, the Prime Minister said that opportunities will definitely come ahead for them and that they should not be very concerned about the results of the polls.

"To all the workers and leaders of other parties, even if you feel that you are going to lose the elections and why should you work hard- I want to say work hard for democracy. 'Aaj nahin toh kal, kal nahin toh parso, parso nahin toh narso, arey kabhi to mauka aega'... (Not today then tomorrow, if not tomorrow then day after tomorrow, someday opportunities will come)," he said.

He further said that people have completely rejected INDIA bloc in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.

"People have seen how the corrupt leaders of the INDI Alliance have come together to serve their own families' interests. Therefore, the news is that in the first phase itself, the voters completely rejected the INDI Alliance," PM said.

"Whatever claims these people make, the truth is that Congress leaders have already accepted defeat even before the announcement of elections. This is the very reason that a few of their leaders, who used to contest and win Lok Sabha seats, have this time entered through the Rajya Sabha route," he added.

Prime Minister also said that the NDA government has worked with full 'Shakti' and 'Bhakti' to preserve and value the Sikh traditions.

"Kartarpur corridor fulfilled dreams of lakhs of devotees. Be it the decision to make langar tax-free or permission for FCRA in the Golden Temple, the NDA government has worked with full 'Shakti' and 'Bhakti' to preserve and value the Sikh traditions," he said.

Prime Minister said that Congress is taking revenge on Sikhs by opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"It is our government only which has brought CAA for the victims of partition. Had there been no CAA, our Sikh brothers and sisters would have been badly suffering. But it's strange that Congress is opposing this. It seems that they are still taking revenge on Sikhs over the 1984," he said.

Prime Minister also said that a lot of his government's time was spent filling the holes done by Congress.

"In the next five years, we have to take Nanded and Maharasthra forward," he said.

He also congratulated the first-time voters who took part in phase 1 of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.

“Yesterday, the first phase of polling concluded. I congratulate and express my gratitude to all those who cast their vote, especially the first-time voters. After the polling concluded, the analysis that was done on the booth level and the information that was received confirms that in the first phase, there has been one-sided voting for NDA," the PM said.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra are being held in five phases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposition parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power.

The results of the seven-phase polls will be announced on June 4. The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.