Defeating BJP in Madhya Pradesh is Like Lifting Angada's Foot, Says Amit Shah

Bhopal: BJP president Amit Shah drew and analogy between the Madhya Pradesh government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Ramayana's Angada, saying defeating BJP in Madhya Pradesh would be akin to lifting Angada's foot.

He claimed that defeating BJP in Madhya Pradesh was beyond Congress’ capability and equated the BJP government to “Angad ka pair” (Angada’s foot). Angada is a mythological character from Ramayana. The son of Vali challenged Ravana to lift his leg saying if someone was able to do so, Rama’s army would return without Sita and leave Lanka, if not they would go to war to defeat the Lankans.

He said that the state was a "fortress" of the BJP where the party's government and organisation had stood their ground, claiming that his party would win in 2018 as well as 2023.

Shah also launched a veiled attack on newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath by claiming the fight in Madhya Pradesh was between the BJP government of farmers and the corporates.

Addressing party workers at BHEL Dussehra Maidan, Shah said, “I was listening to CM Shivraj, Narendra Singh Tomar and state head Rakesh Singh who all spoke about women, farmers, students, Dalits and tribals. But look at the Congress, which has chosen the apple of corporates’ eye as the state president.”

The BJP chief added, “So it has been reduced to a fight between the farmers, represented by the BJP, and the Congress, which represents the corporate.”

He also did not spare Congress Campaign Committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, saying “raja-maharajas” have taken to the poll field on behalf of Congress, “but we need not be apprehensive as even a booth-level worker of BJP is capable of defeating the Congress”.

Remembering the contribution of Kushabhau Thackrey and Vijaya Raje Scindia in the formation of BJP’s organization in MP, Shah claimed that the party was the strongest in MP.

Reposing faith in the BJP unit ahead of the 2018 elections, Shah called for the party brass to push for a victory margin so huge that the “enemies get a heart attack while watching the election results on TV”.

The BJP boss ridiculed Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s claims of winning the upcoming elections here saying, “Even if Rahul Baba uses a binocular, he won’t be able to find victory for Congress, so I don’t know how he manages such dreams.”

Amid speculations over a change of guard in MP ahead of the polls, Shah threw his weight behind Shivraj, heaping praises on his rule and the “commendable” growth across sectors. “I am not saying this out of my association with him for long years but as an independent political observer, that the achievements of CM Shivraj would find a special mention in the democratic history of this country.”

Shah also touched upon the issue of “saffron terrorism”, a contentious phrase allegedly coined by Congress during the UPA rule and sought apologies from Rahul Gandhi for defaming the Hindu culture.

He accused Congress of resorting to divisive politics and stalling the OBCs Commission Bill in Rajya Sabha and depriving backward classes their Constitutional right.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, too, showered praises on Shah and called him a miraculous leader who took the party to unimaginative heights.

Sharing details of the welfare programmes to be undertaken by the BJP in the next few months for different sections of the society, Chouhan mocked the Congress saying the opposition was busy with rallies, roadshows and making tall claims.