Congress like driverless train, pilotless plane: Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday likened the Congress to a "driverless train" and a "pilotless plane", taking a dig at the party that remains without a full-time president.

Adityanath was addressing poll rallies in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is aiming to return to power in Haryana after the October 21 assembly polls.

"The condition of the Congress is like that of a driverless train and a pilotless plane as Rahul Gandhi resigned from his post of president after the party's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, and now even after four months the party has no president," he said at an election rally.

The Congress picked Sonia Gandhi as its interim president after Rahul Gandhi refused to take back his resignation.

Addressing election meetings in Ambala, Sonipat, Jind and Panchkula, Adityanath accused the Congress of corruption when it was in power in the state.

The BJP leader praised Narendra Modi for increasing the clout of the country and ensuring its security, bringing up the Balakot air strikes.

"Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who earlier used to threaten to attack India is now pleading that India should not attack them," he said.

“It is fanciful thinking to expect the country’s development from a party that does not have a future of its own," the UP chief minister said.

He accused Rahul Gandhi of “fleeing” from the country, saying the Congress leader knew the results of the upcoming assembly polls.

Gandhi is, however, in the country -- and even appeared before a court this week -- after speculation over a visit abroad.

Adityanath indirectly referred to allegations by Congress rebel Ashok Tanwar, who quit the party after claiming that bribes were being paid for tickets.

"The Congress has neither the country nor Haryana to put up for sale, so now the party leaders are selling tickets and their party," he said.

He claimed that the Congress does not take pride in country's increasing strength.

"Congressmen ridiculed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh when he performed the 'shastra pujan' of a Rafale fighter jet on Vijayadashami,” he said, referring to the ritual conducted during the recent handing over of the plane to India.

Massive investment is taking place in the state these days due to the policies of the Haryana government, Adityanath claimed.

Mentioning the Karnal-born American astronaut who died in a US space mission, the BJP leader said Haryana's daughter Kalpana Chawla had brought laurels to the state and the country.

He blamed the previous Congress governments in Haryana for the state’s skewed gender ratio, and claimed that it is being set right through Narendra Modi government’s 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign.

“Dishonesty and corruption are part of the DNA of Congressmen," he charged, and also alleged that the previous governments in Haryana used to auction jobs.

"As many as 72,000 youths got government jobs in a transparent manner and without any discrimination when BJP's Manohar Lal Khattar government took charge in Haryana," he claimed.

He also referred to alleged land scams by Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.

"The 'damad ji' scam also took place in Haryana. The Congress ’damad ji’ (son-in-law) did not leave even a single patch of land from Gurgaon to Panchkula, where he set new records in corruption," he alleged.

He mentioned the large turnout at the Kumbh mela organised by his government in Uttar Pradesh, comparing it with the Commonwealth Games held at far greater expense in Delhi when the Congress was in power at the Centre.

He said the Congress opposed the abrogation of special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, which he said was an obstacle to development and a trigger for terrorism.

Adityanath alleged that this showed that the Congress was with the terrorists.