BJP gears up for 2014 polls; targets Cong on economy

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party chief Rajnath Singh on Saturday gave a call to his party cadre to put up a united fight in the next general elections to oust the "corrupt, ineffective" United Progressive Alliance as he took on the Congress-led government over its alleged failure on internal security, economy and foreign policy fronts.

Delivering the inaugural speech at the BJP National Council in Delhi, Singh while lauding the achievements of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi also emphasised upon the need for the party workers to bury their differences, stop clamouring for posts and gear up for the general elections slated for 2014.

He praised the BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka and the NDA regime in Bihar. Rajnath Singh alleged that the UPA government was mired in corruption. "Just as Ram killed Ravan, Krishna killed Kansa, Obama killed Osama, corruption, we believe, will kill the Congress," he said. The BJP promised to form a separate state of Telangana in no time once it is voted to power.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, while seconding the Economic Resolution, said India will scrap the FDI in multi-brand retail policy when the BJP-NDA comes to power. Singh slammed the government on a host of issues, including terrorism, external security, relations with neighbouring countries especially Pakistan and China, corruption, failure to revive the economy and issues related to farmers.

The BJP chief also raked up issues dear to the Sangh Parivar, from Ram Setu and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's controversial remarks about Hindu terror to the Maha Kumbh and Hindutva being a way of life. The BJP passed an economic resolution highlighting the failures of the UPA government in controlling inflation, being engaged in a series of corruption scams, wrong agricultural policies which were forcing the farmers to commit suicide, and heaping praise on the erstwhile NDA government for its economic achievements.

The BJP intends to take on the Congress-led UPA on these issues in the next general election. Singh charged that the government lacked willpower and determination to deal with these issues.