PM Modi's appeal to Jharkhand voters for giving decisive mandate to BJP

Dhanbad: Flaying the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said it has run out of issues and asked the people of Jharkhand to give a decisive mandate in favour of the BJP to ensure state's speedy development.

Seeking a stable government with full majority in Jharkhand, Modi asked people not to hand over power in the state in the hands of "thekedars" (brokers).

"These days leaders of opposition parties are very upset. They have to campaign for the sake of their survival and are going to Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir too. But they don't have any issues against the Modi government. They are repeating their speeches made during the Lok Sabha elections. There is bankruptcy of issues for opposition," Modi said addressing a poll rally on Dhanbad on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister said his government's policies will help the mineral-rich state progress fast and reap benefits of its coal reserves. Exhorting the people to elect a BJP government with full majority, Modi said, "You have done this for country, will you not do it for the sake of Jharkhand. Coalition governments in the country have given the power in the hands of 'thekedars' and you know what they have done to the country and the states for so many years."

Referring to the state's rich coal reserves, he said, "You are sitting on a black diamond. This Jharkhand's black diamond has the potential to light up the entire country and our policies will help the state reap its benefits." Talking about the Coal scam and the Supreme Court verdict on it, the Prime Minister said though it came as a "blow" to us and "pained" the government, it was taken up as an "opportunity" to improve things.

Modi also hit out at the Opposition for "lying" to the people while nationalising banks some 40 years ago in the name of helping the poor. He said the Jan Dhan Yojna has helped every poor in the country open a bank account and benefit even without depositing a single penny. So far the poor of the country have deposited Rs 7,000 crore in bank accounts opened by them under the scheme, he said.

Comparing the prosperous western part of the country with the under-developed eastern part, he said the country will become strong only if both sides develop equally and announced his government's focus to develop the eastern part of the country which is rich in natural resources.