Cong, allies used Maoists for politics: Modi in Jharkhand

Gumla (Jharkhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at the previous Congress governments at the Centre and in Jharkhand and its alliance partners, accusing it of using the Maoists for their politics.

Addressing a poll meeting in Gumla, Modi said, "Previously the Congress and its alliance governments at the Centre or in the state had a flawed policy to deal with the Maoist problem."

He said the intention of the previous governments were also flawed as they used Maoists for their politics and then on the other hand they used to show that they were fighting against the Maoists.

Highlighting the works of the BJP government in the state in the last five years, the Prime Minister said, "In last five years, the BJP government at the Centre and the state have taken steps to solve this problem with complete coordination. We have also made efforts to bring such youths, who joined the Maoist groups to come back to the mainstream," he said.

Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP in the state, Modi said that "on November 30, when you will once again vote for the lotus (BJP election symbol) for the next five years, I am confident that the backbone of the Moaist movement will be completely broken and an era of development will be ushered in the state."

Modi also asserted that the BJP government was busy in bringing the new image of Jharkhand to the country and the world.

He accused the Congress and Hemant Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of destroying the state's image.

Earlier in the day, Modi also addressed a rally in Daltonganj district of the state. Both the Assembly constituencies will go to polls in the first phase on November 30. The election for the 81-member Assembly is scheduled in five phases starting from November 30 to December 20. Counting of votes will take place on December 23.