NEWDELHI, Nov 4: Congress today downplays ally and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks about Narendra Modi “effect” in coming elections and took potshots at BJP saying even “a storm is not good as it brings only dust and dirt with it”.
“Some of BJP leaders keep saying that Modi is a storm. A storm can never be good. It brings dust and dirt with it,” party spokespeson Meem Afzal told reporters here.
Asked about National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s remarks that while the term “Modi wave” is a bit of an exaggeration,”…There is effect of Modi,” the Congress spokespeson said he does not feel that there is any such effect.
“Ask Omar Abdullah about it. I do not feel there is any effect. He might be feeling that there is an effect. May be it is in Jammu and Kashmir,” Afzal said.
To a question about heightened security plan for Modi’s rally in Punjab, Afzal said if the Government has issued any alert, it must have been done rightly after such a big incident that had happened in Patna during Modi’s rally.
He added more than Modi, there is also a threat to people who come to the BJP leader’s rally.
Afzal also felt the criticism by other political parties of Modi doing politics over his Bihar visit to meet the family members of the victims of the bomb blast during his rally is correct.
Meanwhile, BJP today welcomed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s contention that there will be a Narendra Modi “effect” in the forthcoming elections and suggested that Congress should also accept this fact.
“It is good that Omar Abdullah has accepted that Modi is a factor in these elections. This is something that the Congress is not yet ready to accept,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, adding that the ruling party should come around to accepting the fact.
Asked about Omar’s view that though Modi will be an influence in the polls, there is no “Modi wave”, he said, “He has the freedom to say so.”
BJP has claimed that the mammoth crowds at Modi’s rallies show there is a euphoria in the country about its Prime Ministerial candidate. The opinion polls have also favoured Modi over Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as the likely Prime Minister of the country.
Omar had noted that there is a Modi effect in the elections but ruled out a wave in his favour as an exaggeration.
“It would be wrong on our part to deny any influence of Modi in the elections—I cannot say there is Modi wave —there is effect of Modi,” Omar told reporters in Jammu earlier in the day.
In response to a query about “Modi wave” going on in the country ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Omar said, “I think Modi wave would be a bit of an exaggeration”.
“There is an effect of Modi— That effect may not be on the average voter but it is visible on cadres of BJP. What impact it will have on elections let us wait and watch,” the Chief Minister said. (PTI)
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