PM Narendra Modi starts BJP's Election Campaign in Maharashtra, Haryana

PM Narendra Modi starts BJP's Election Campaign in Maharashtra, Haryana

KARNAL, HARYANA AND BEED, MAHARASHTRA:  PM Narendra Modi today started his campaign blitzkrieg for the forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, two states ruled by the Congress, and urged voters to ensure that the BJP comes to power in the state.

Both states go to polls on October 15; counting will be held on October 19.

At an election rally in Haryana's Karnal, the PM said, "I want you to vote for the BJP so that it forms the government with full majority. Change is important if you want to move forward. Make Haryana free from the Congress misrule". 

Attacking the ruling Congress, the PM said, "All the governments in the past have brought misery; there was lawlessness (in the state). If you want change, you have to vote for me".

The BJP recently ended its three-year-old alliance with the regional Haryana Janhit Congress, led by Kuldeep Bishnoi, and also severed its 25-year-old alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

He also attacked the Congress at a rally in Maharashtra's Beed, the constituency of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde.

Mr Munde was killed in a road accident on June 3, just days after he was sworn in as the Minister for Rural Development in the Union Cabinet led by Mr Modi.

"What did you get in these 15 years? Did Maharashtra progress? Did farmers benefit? Did the youth benefit? Did Dalits benefit? Did tribals benefit? Did cities, villages benefit? Did women benefit," asked PM Modi.

He added, "If Gopinath Munde was still around, I wouldn't have been required to come to Maharashtra. I had full faith in him. He looked after the poor, those from backward communities and farmers. Maybe God wanted him more than I did".

With no local face in Haryana and Maharashtra, the BJP is banking heavily on Mr Modi for campaigning for this month's assembly elections in the two states.