Act tough on Modi critics: RSS

Declare Modi as Prime Minister candidate: Bihar BJP unit asks central leaders

Lucknow (Agencies): The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has asked the BJP to act tough on leaders who criticise Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. In his parleys with leaders of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), RSS point-person for BJP, Suresh Soni said on Friday that the environment in the country was by far the best for the BJP to make a comeback. “One has to realise that there is a strong anti-Congress wave in the country. The BJP should work hard to ensure that this anger against the Congress turns into goodwill for the BJP,” Soni told party workers that included state president Laxmikant Bajpayi.

In case someone does not fall in line, he should be suspended from the party for six years, Soni told party leaders. Soni told RSS office bearers that the people of the country have taken Modi to be their prime minister and they were now duty bound to support him and bring good governance back.

Meanwhile, the Bihar unit of the BJP, which lost its share in the state government over Modi's elevation within the party, has become the first state unit to ask its central leaders to formally announce the Gujarat CM as its PM candidate for 2014.

Modi mocks at Centre’s ‘charity’ for elections

Gandhinagar (PTI): Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi targetted Centre's rural development schemes, saying that 'charity' for winning elections instead of solid development work will not help improve rural India. This is for the first time Modi attacked the socialist agenda undertaken by the Congress-led UPA for rural welfare.

Apparently hinting at popular schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guranttee Act (MNREGA) and other cash doling schemes introduced by the Congress government, Modi said this will not empower people to be self-reliant. "We have said one thing about rural development that it should have an element of responsibility. But, a trend of charity has begun in the country these days, because they Centre) have no other objective than winning the elections," Modi said.

"Solid development should take place which can empower people to stand on their feet and can help develop economy of a village. If this doesn't happen then no matter how much we keep giving, change will not occur," he asserted. He was addressing a large gathering of farmers at the National Conference on Panchayati Raj and Rural Development here. Farmers from 26 states and four union territories are participating in the conference.

"I believe that biggest dream of any government in India can't be bigger than eradicating poverty from villages by encouraging economic activity and creating employment," Modi said. Meanwhile, Sadhu Yadav, the estranged brother-in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, is set to face disciplinary action from the Congress for praising and meeting Modi.

Sources in the party said that action against Yadav will follow soon but the party would prefer the matter to be a low key affair. After meeting Modi, Yadav, who had contested the last Lok Sabha election on Congress ticket, said Modi has better qualities to become PM than Rahul Gandhi.

AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said, "I am not sure whether he (Yadav) is still in Congress or not. He had indeed contested the 2009 Lok Sabha election on Congress ticket and then assembly polls in October 2010.”