Our priority is country, not elections, says Amit Shah

BHOPAL: BJP president Amit Shah went all guns blazing at the opposition on the IAF air strikes across LOC, and asked people to choose if they wanted a “strong leader” like Modi, or “someone who is ageing and has a history of PMs at home”.
“Our priority is the country, and not election,” Shah said even as he launched the party’s Vijay Sankalp bike rally in Umaria for Lok Sabha election.Shah rode pillion on a motorcycle and former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan rode with state party president Rakesh Singh on another.
Shah criticized opposition parties for doubting the air strike, and said: “The country has replied with bullet for bullet, be it the surgical strike after Uri attack or the Pulwama terror attack. Terrorists thought we wouldn’t do anything as elections are around the corner, but we gave them a strong reply. Our priority is country, not election.”
Shah urged party workers to tell people about “election issues”, and whether it’s better to continue under the “strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or make someone, who is ageing and has a history of having PMs from his family, as PM.” “Election should be for overall development of country and to give a befitting response to Pakistan,” Shah added.
“What did Congress do in its 55-year rule? Opposition leaders are questioning the air strikes, but the opposition party never had the courage to avenge the blood of our soldiers. PM Modi made it possible,” Shah said, adding: “Even Pakistan’s media, army, Parliament and terrorist organisations have accepted India’s air strike, but Mamta Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi did not. People will never forgive them for doubting the courage of our soldiers.” Shah also attacked SP leader Akhilesh Yadav for seeking a probe into the Pulwama terror attack.
“BJP has also been in opposition, but we never did politics on such issues. BJP never used the language that would have pleased Pakistan,” Shah said, outlining the steps taken by BJP for Army, including one-rank-one-pension. “Congress could not make a memorial for soldiers in five decades, but BJP government did in its first year of coming to power and PM recently dedicated it to country,” Shah said.
The BJP chief asked party workers to tell people about the “government’s successes against terror”. “The BJP government taught radical extremists that if they want to live in India, they cannot speak the language of Pakistan. The government has stopped their monetary aid from outside the country. Pakistan has been cornered in the world due to India’s diplomacy,” he said.
“Who can keep the country safe? Who can make India a superpower? Can a coalition of 23 parties do so? Only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can achieve this,” Shah said just before he flagged off the bike rally. BJP state president Rakesh Singh started his address by lauding wing commander Abhinandan Vardhman.
BJP leaders took out bike rallies in different cities of MP. Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar led one in Bhopal, while BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya participated in a rally in Indore. “55 months of PM Modi’s tenure are more successful than 55 years of Congress rule,” Tomar said.