March 19, 2012
BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha trashed the comparison made by a US magazine between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying there was "no match" between the two and no one stands even close to the saffron leader.
March 19, 2012
BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha trashed the comparison made by a US magazine between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying there was "no match" between the two and no one stands even close to the saffron leader.
"He (Modi) is a man of stature, great standing and one who has ensured all round development of Gujarat and brought glory and shine to the state…in true sense of the word he is a 'Vikas Purush'," Sinha said while addressing a meet-the-press programme here this evening.
Sinha was asked to comment on an article in US' Time Magazine on Modi, with the Gujarat Chief Minister featuring on its cover page. Time magazine, in its March 26 issue, published an article on the Modi, with the heading: "Modi means business", along with a strap: "But can he lead India?” When asked about comparison between Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Modi, Sinha said, "there is no match…no one stands even close to Modi in terms of his total personality".
The actor-turned-politician felt that Modi has all the qualities which make him a top leader, but at the same time he added he also holds senior leader L K Advani in high esteem and the ageing BJP leader has carved a place of his own. "He (Advani) is a statesman, mature and there to guide us all….there are other leaders too like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari," he said. When asked about the leader who will lead BJP in the next parliamentary elections, the cine star said "let the time come first, a collective decision will be taken".
During the course of his reply, Sinha could not help avoid the feeling of not being given his due in the party. "Mere pass koyee pad naheen hein, but kad hein (I do not hold any post, but I am a man of stature," said Sinha. While youth should be promoted in the party, there was no substitute for the experienced leaders, he said. Shatrughan slammed the Union Budget and the Railway Budget, saying though he was not an expert to comment on these, but as a common man, he feels they will add to the burden of ordinary citizens.
"These are the last two budgets which the UPA will present. The Government is in a suicidal mode and will fall under its own weight…the BJP or NDA does not want mid-term or early elections, but if it falls on its own we can't help," Sinha, the Patna sahib, said. He also said that in the next parliamentary elections, the BJP will go with its tried and trusted allies. "In our eyes, no one is untouchable. But one thing is clear, we will not enter into any opportunistic alliance," Sinha said.
When a reporter asked what would be the BJP's strategy as reports suggest that Congress was cosying up with the Samajwadi Party, Sinha said, "they feel Mamata (Trinamool) may slip out of their hands and may be thinking about having some back up". To another question, the BJP leader praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP leader, Akhilesh Yadav. "He is a wonderful boy," he said, adding the saffron party feels that people voted in numbers for the SP thinking that the Mulayam Singh Yadav led outfit could take the Mayawati led BSP head on.
"Also, Akhilesh had good image, his media management was good, they had good cadre, his father's (Mulayam's) strategy was good, team work was good and certainly Mulayam Singh is one of the best politicians in the country and he is there to guide him (Akhilesh), who is one of the best boys having a forward looking approach," Sinha said heaping praise on the UP Chief Minister. Sinha said he was on a two-day visit to Punjab, where his daughter Sonakshi Sinha is shooting for a film.
Courtesy: dailypoineer
