10-17-2007, 09:42 PM
<b>Congress bigwigs, high-pitched campaign to take on Modi </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->And the Congress is hoping that the growing disaffection in Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will add to the advantages of an opposition eager to pounce on the apparent discontent caused by seven years of Modi regime.
Congress strategists know it is not going to be easy, however, in view of the overarching influence of Modi, the way he led the BJP to a thumping victory in 2002, and the weaknesses of the Congress in one of India's most industrialised states.
Although the BJP's hold is clearly slipping and the party won only 14 of 26 parliamentary seats in 2004, Modi is supremely confident of covering lost ground and retaining power too.
.................
One of the advertisements say the state's debt was Rs.344.5 billion when Modi took over in October 2000, replacing Keshubhai Patel, and it has touched Rs.800 billion now.
'We have requested the Congress president to send Rahul Gandhi to the state. We hope he will join us for the campaign,' said a party leader.
...........
<b>Manmohan Singh figures in the posters in a rather obscure manner - almost hidden, that too in just two posters.</b>
'It is a now or never situation for the Congress. We have to pull all the stops to defeat Narendra Modi,' admitted a party strategist
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<b>Said a senior Congress leader: 'If we win in Gujarat, then that will expedite the Lok Sabha elections (due in 2009). If we lose, well, we will have to wait.'</b> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress is very upbeat. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Congress strategists know it is not going to be easy, however, in view of the overarching influence of Modi, the way he led the BJP to a thumping victory in 2002, and the weaknesses of the Congress in one of India's most industrialised states.
Although the BJP's hold is clearly slipping and the party won only 14 of 26 parliamentary seats in 2004, Modi is supremely confident of covering lost ground and retaining power too.
.................
One of the advertisements say the state's debt was Rs.344.5 billion when Modi took over in October 2000, replacing Keshubhai Patel, and it has touched Rs.800 billion now.
'We have requested the Congress president to send Rahul Gandhi to the state. We hope he will join us for the campaign,' said a party leader.
...........
<b>Manmohan Singh figures in the posters in a rather obscure manner - almost hidden, that too in just two posters.</b>
'It is a now or never situation for the Congress. We have to pull all the stops to defeat Narendra Modi,' admitted a party strategist
.............
<b>Said a senior Congress leader: 'If we win in Gujarat, then that will expedite the Lok Sabha elections (due in 2009). If we lose, well, we will have to wait.'</b> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Congress is very upbeat. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->