Modi regrets targeting Manmohan, attacks Rahul

Hazaribagh (Jharkhand), April 15 (IANS) BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Tuesday regretted attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but targeted Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing an election rally here, Modi said he regretted attacking Manmohan Singh as Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were to blame for the party's poor governance.

"Sometimes I used strong words against Manmohan Singh," he said.

"After some books were released (recently), I felt I should not have targeted Manmohan Singh as the mother and son were responsible for everything.

"Sometimes the daughter and son-in-law were responsible, and everything was taking place under the leadership of the mother," Modi said, referring to Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

But Modi launched a tirade against Rahul Gandhi over the latter's allegation that Modi's Gujarat government had given away land to corporate houses at a rate for which one could buy toffee: Rs.1.

Rahul Gandhi had also compared the Gujarat model of development to an inflated balloon.

Modi said Tuesday: "Will the country choose a person who wants to play with balloon and craves for toffee?

"I thought this election will be fought on serious issues. On one side are a galaxy of leaders in the BJP like L.K. Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manmohar Joshi and on the other side is a player who is still behaving like a child.

"For 10 days balloon was on his lip. Now he speaks about toffee."

Modi was in Hazaribagh to address a rally in favour of party candidate Jayant Sinha, the son of former central minister Yashwant Sinha.

Modi also detailed the achievements of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government of 1998-2004.

He came down heavily on the UPA for keeping the NTPC power project in Jharkhand pending.

He urged youths top vote for the BJP for a better future and promised farmers that the minimum support price of foodgrain will be raised to 50 percent of the input.

"Those in the age group of 18 to 28 years need jobs, they warn to earn livelihood and feed their families… They can't afford to waste five more years by electing a wrong government," Modi said.