Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday claimed that the NDA has already bagged 310 seats after the completion of 5 phases of the Lok Sabha polls. He urged the people of Odisha to free the state from babu-raj and allow the BJP to form government at the Centre and also in the state.  Shah was addressing 2 election rallies in Sambalpur where the BJP has fielded Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Shah claimed after the 5th phase of elections, the NDA has already got 310 seats and they will secure 400 plus seats after the 6th and 7th rounds of elections. The union home minister added that Odisha has been ruled by a handful of officers and this election will end the ongoing babu raj in the state.

He said that the tribals of Keonjhar get no benefit even though most of the mines and mineral reserves of the country are located in Keonjhar district. Shah enlisted Modi government’s achievements and said that the prime minister has ensured that there is no terrorism across the country. He added that PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) was with India and it would remain with India.

Shah criticized Congress of being frightened over Pakistan possessing an atom bomb and said PM Modi has given a befitting reply to Pakistan’s terror activities and he does not fear such threat of nuclear bombs. He attacked the previous Congress government for doing nothing for tribals. Shah pointed out that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had formed a separate ministry for tribal affairs while Narendra Modi as the PM has worked to eliminate Naxalism in Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The Union Home Minister said PM Modi has constituted District Mineral Foundation and given crores of rupees for the development of the tribal region. Shah said the budgetary allocation for tribal affairs has been increased to Rs 1.25 lakh crore during Modi government from Rs 25,000 crore given during the previous UPA regime.

The Congress on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been indulging in polarisation throughout the election and has prepared a communal pitch, but Congress refused to play on that and pursued its paach nyay agenda. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh’s attack came over Modi’s remarks in an interview to the media in which he had said that he has never uttered a word against minorities, and the BJP has not just today but never acted against them.

Jairam Ramesh said that PM Modi’s entire campaign from April 19 has been based on communalisation with the Hindu-Muslim rhetoric throughout and has not talked about Viksit Bharat, issues of the farmers, Modi ki guarantee, women, youth workers, SCs, STs and OBCs.

Speaking about the remarks made by PM Modi on minorities, Ramesh said what nonsense was he talking about?  He further added the prime minister is fast losing his memory and he has never had any adherence to truth. Ramesh called PM Modi a jhoothjeevi and said PM Modi does not remember what he said the day before and then claims that he never said it.

Ramesh said the prime minister had raised the issue of Muslim League imprint on the Congress manifesto, the mangalsutra remarks and the allegation that the Congress will give reservations on the basis of religion, which are all bogus statements.

He said this is the prime minister who, when asked some years ago whether he had any remorse at the killings during the Gujarat riots, said even when a small puppy comes under a car, one feels bad. This is the language that he had been using. Ramesh claimed that when Atal Bihari Vajapayee became the prime minister, L K Advani and company wanted a committee to review the basic structure of the Constitution. Ramesh said Congress boycotted that commission and this has always been the objective of the BJP and the RSS.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attacked the opposition on Tuesday and said that the INDIAlliance is planning to loot the country by dividing the people on the basis of caste and religion. Adityanath was addressing an election rally in Gaisdi where he was seeking votes for the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Shravasti Saket Mishra and the party’s nominee for by-elections in Gaisdi Lok Sabha seat Shailesh Kumar Singh Shailu.

He said the BJP is serving the public under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they do not practice discrimination and are working with the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. At the same time, INDI alliance wants to loot the country by dividing the country’s people on the basis of caste and religion, which BJP will not allow to happen.

The chief minister said that people have come to know about the intentions of the INDIA bloc, as a result they are saying together in one voice — Phir ek baar Modi sarkaar, ab ki baar, 400 paar. The UP CM said the people are replying to them (INDIA bloc) and saying that they will bring back those who have brought Ram.

He added that the INDIA Bloc is making malicious attempts to encroach on the rights of people in Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Backward Castes categories. He said everyone should remain cautious and all alert about the conspiracy being hatched by INDIAlliance. Adityanath sharpened his attack on the INDIA bloc and said the opposition parties are using all kinds of tricks to come back to power.

Adityanath pointed out that the deeds of the opposition parties are not hidden from the public. They are planning to conduct a survey of the property of people for the removal of poverty from the country. He said everyone should remain cautious and alert as the opposition parties are planning to implement inheritance tax which is similar to Jaziya imposed by Mughal emperor Aurengzeb.