Describing the rally as “historic” and “unprecedented” in the 11-year history of the NDA since its formation in 1998, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani said the message of unity among the coalition allies exhibited at the rally would travel across the country.
And it would strengthen countrymen’s belief that the alliance was the only one capable of governing the country.
“The NDA has eight allies now, including five new parties, and eight NDA chief ministers are present here,” Advani, sporting a turban, told a large gathering.
The NDA’s exhibition of unity came in the wake of repeated statements by Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, that the BJP-led alliance had disintegrated and that it existed “only in the minds of the BJP.”
Advani said the BJP lost the 2004 elections due to “overconfidence” but this time its workers “are happy with the impression of ‘underdog’ created by the media.
“We have no overconfidence this time, but we are confident that people will make us victorious,” Advani said. The UPA was the first government in history which did not have a single achievement to show for its five-year rule, he claimed.
Advani also said, farmers, the agriculture sector, security forces and country’s security would top the NDA’s agenda if it came to power.
Adding force to the NDA’s campaign toward the end of a long-drawn general elections was the presence of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS)leader K Chandrashekhar Rao.
The TRC leader, while pledging support to the NDA, accused the Congress-led UPA of “back-stabbing” the Telangana movement and going back on its promise of creation of a separate state.
Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s presence and his criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA government for allegedly seeking back Central compensation for flood relief was another highlight of the rally amidst reported efforts to woo him by the UPA and the Third Front.
“Do not waste your votes, poll every vote in favour of the NDA,” Nitish exhorted the electorate.
In his speech, Advani, while empathising with Nitish, described the Centre’s role in seeking back relief money as “very disturbing.”
Modi side-show
Another side-show of the rally was a warm hug between Nitish Kumar and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the former’s recent statement that he would never share stage with Modi. Modi showered praise on Nitish for bringing about an “agricultural revolution” in Bihar.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Modi described his statement about Afzal Guru, convicted for the attack on Parliament, that he was 22nd on the list of convicts, as “preposterous” and described the delay in his execution by the Congress-led UPA government as part of its “vote bank politics.”
He also seemed to extend an olive branch to AIADMK leader Jayalalitha by criticising the UPA government's “silence” over the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka and poking fun at her arch rival, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
“He observed the shortest ever fast-unto-death that lasted only a couple of hours between breakfast and lunch,” Modi said about Karunanidhi’s fast on April 24 to highlight the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils.
BJP president Rajnath Singh said the country was passing through an “external” and “internal” crisis for which the Congress was responsible.
He said the Congress had failed to alleviate poverty and unemployment during 50 years of its rule.
Among others who graced the show included BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, NDA convener Sharad Yadav, RLD leader Ajit Singh, Akali Dal leader and Chief Minister P S Badal, Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala, Asom Gana Parishad leader ChanderMohan Patwari, Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, Gorkha Liberation Front leader Bimal Gurung, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yedyurappa, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister P K Dhumal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chauhan, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri and Bihar Deputy Chief minister Sushil Modi.