Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, December 10, took his attack one step further into the Congress camp, alleging that Mani Shankar Aiyar and former prime minister Manmohan Singh held meetings with the Pakistan high commissioner just before Gujarat was about to vote for the first phase of assembly polls on Saturday.
Aiyar was earlier this week suspended from the primary membership of the Congress after he called Modi "neech" — a reference many thought was about the caste Modi came from.
Speaking at Banaskantha in Gujarat on Sunday, Modi slammed the Congress over alleged talks with Pakistan authorities. He said: "Former Pakistan Army Director General Arshad Rafique was willing to help make Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Ahmed Patel the chief minister [of Gujarat]."
He then turned to the ousted Congress member and said: "Have you read about Mani Shankar Aiyar. Didn't they insult me and people of Gujarat?"
He added, "Now news is that Pakistan high commissioner and foreign minister and Manmohan Singh met at his [Aiyar's] house just before the Gujarat polls. This is a serious issue and I want to ask what is the reason for secret meeting with Pakistanis?"
A day earlier, Modi had for the first time taken a direct dig at the Congress' promise to the agitating Patidars over providing reservation.
Addressing a rally, he had pointed out that the Congress was either lying over reservation or they would snatch some quota from others and reserve it for the Patels.
The first phase of elections in Modi's home state saw a voter turnout of 68 percent, with BJP leaders including Arun Jailey claiming that the saffron party would "register a landslide victory," despite claims of EVM and VVPAT malfunction.
Gujarat will vote again on December 14 in its second phase and the results will be announced on December 18, when counting takes place.
