Absence of credibility haunting Modi: Ashok Gehlot

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said. "Indira Gandhi's aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them," he told PTI refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.

"Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated," the former Rajasthan chief minister said here. Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that "Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him".

Sharpening his attack, he said, "Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar." He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi. "BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies," Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.

Claiming that "dictatorship" has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modi's current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump. "After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties," Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modi's image has taken a beating.Criticising the body language of the Prime Minister, Gehlot alleged that Modi is a pro-corporate man and he is hell bent on realising his vested political and electoral interests.

"Have you seen any PM make such speeches, repeatedly clapping to emphasise on a particular point?" he asked. On demonetisation, Gehlot said following the note ban, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty in the entire country. "The credibility of the banks and currency notes have taken a beating. Note ban has yielded no positive results. There was no logic behind replacing the old Rs 1,000 currency notes with the new Rs 2,000 notes. There has been an increase in the quantum of corruption in Income Tax department and banks," he claimed.

The chief coordinator of UPCC admitted that the decision to have the SP-Congress alliance was a sudden development for the party workers. "But, in the larger interest of the nation and UP, and to stop fascist and communal forces of the BJP from storming to power, the alliance was eventually approved by both the parties," he said.

He said party workers after being confused over the alliance, gradually understood its need and importance. "And, subsequently, they reconciled," he said. On whether the nascent alliance would continue in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said, "All options are open." He went on to claim that when UPA-1 had formed government in 2004, very few people had thought that it would rule the country for close to a decade.