Modi soft on Naveen but tears into Cong over Khurshid's remark

Narendra Modi today softened his attack on BJD leader Naveen Patnaik even as he tore into Congress over Salman Khurshid's remarks accusing it of "destruction" of institutions and said its leaders have already started searching for excuses for a "certain" defeat.

In his second rally in Odisha, Modi did not go after the state chief minister, who has since distanced his party from the Third Front, with the same vigour as he had done in his first rally in Bhubaneswar but targeted the Congress.

He condemned External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid remarks in London in which he had criticised Election Commission and Supreme Court and said he used a foreign land to target the country's two respected institutions.

"I wonder which country does he represent. He has gone to London to abuse the EC. He has destroyed its reputation. They (Congress) are looking for excuses for their certain defeat. He has attacked the Supreme Court also. Prime Minister, it is your responsibility to look into it," he said.

The name of Indian National Congress should be changed to Institution Neglecting Congress, he said, adding that it had become the ruling party's habit to attack and abuse institutions.

His rivals, he said, have no agenda but to chant "stop Modi, stop Modi. I am working 24 hours a day to find solution to India's problems. They are working to find a solution to Modi."

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate said he wanted to pursue politics of development, jobs and prosperity and wipe off tears of the poor.

"You give your blessings to me. The world will otherwise gallop past us and we will remain laggards. The more you tolerate them (Congress), the more pain they will inflict on you," he said.

"The electoral fight in 2014 is all about good governance and you should join it with lotus (BJP symbol) and Modi," he said.

Urging the crowd to elect as many BJP MPs from the state as they can, Modi said he as a PM would not be of much help if he is not supported by a strong party tally. The party had not won any of the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats in 2009.

He touched on the conditions of tribals, who have a large presence in the region, and attacked Congress for their "neglect" while claiming that BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have done the most for them.

Modi also referred to the hailstorm in MP, which has damaged crops in large parts of the state, and accused the Centre and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi of not doing enough for the affected farmers because it is a BJP-ruled state.

"I have never seen CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan as distressed as he is over the state of their farmers. But the PM and 'shahzaada'  have no care for them... They think let them die if they are dying. They have not voted for us," he said.

Referring to Food Security Act, he said it took Congress 60 years to realise that people have stomach and they feel hungry even as he attacked the party over price rise and unemployment.

Lauding the renowned local textile and tribal heritage, he said it has not been marketed adequately, adding that only a government committed to development can think about it.

"For this, the government should be concerned about their development. There should be a government which can sacrifice itself for people," he said in one of his few criticisms of the Patnaik government.