Modi's elevation will help UPA: Moily

Declaring Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the BJP’s election campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections would definitely help the UPA government to come to power for the third time, said Union Minister and senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily. 

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the golden jubilee celebration of the Textile Co-operative Bank Limited, Moily said, “BJP is trying to portray a villain as a hero. His image has been dented after the post-Godhra riots. There is no internal democracy in Gujarat and there are nearly 30 crore minority citizens in the country who do not favour Modi as a leader,” he said.

Moily said there was already a rift in the BJP, creating Advani and Modi groups. UPA The government will take complete advantage of BJP’s decision to declare Modi as the potential prime ministerial candidate, he said.

He said UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had directed chief ministers of Congress-led governments to work hard. She had made them realise their responsibilities for the 2014 elections.

Reacting to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s statement that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would not last in office for more than a year, Moily said Yeddyurappa was upset with the election results. He expressed confidence that Siddaramaiah would remain in power and Congress would successfully complete its tenure.

‘Tie up with industries’

Earlier, Moily called upon the weaver community to tie up with garment industries so as to broaden their opportunities.

The weaver community needed to upgrade and change according to the times, Moily said. There was a need for a master plan for weavers’ development in the country and chief ministers had been directed to reserve a separate fund for their welfare, he said.

Moily called for unity among the weavers so as to strengthen their profession through able leadership.  “The weaver community contributes nearly four per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and this profession has a bright future,” said Moily.

Moily asked the weavers as to why they were hesitant to declare themselves a backward community. He advised the community members to take advantage of the government’s welfare schemes.

Speaking on the occasion, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil advised the community members to evolve themselves and get their problems solved through proper representation. Women and Child Development Minister Umashree and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao were present on the occasion.