In Haryana, BJP candidates invoke Donald Trump, Modi's success in foreign affairs to seek votes

By Pragya Kaushika
Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], Oct 18 (ANI): Not everything is local or national in Haryana polls. America is the flavour of this election season courtesy Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Houston that saw US President Donald Trump in attendance.
The recent historic rally of Modi in Texas, watched by millions and organised by Indian diaspora, is being evoked by BJP leaders in their public meetings and election rallies.
The Howdy Modi event and participation of the US President Donald Trump and even prime minister Narendra Modi's international travels and other engagements are an election issue being used by BJP to seek the support of voters.
In this spirit, campaigning for the assembly polls in the state, Rajya Sabha MP DP Vats on Friday praised the Prime Minister for the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston and said that he became friends with US President Donald Trump who stayed at the event for two and a half hours.
"Yaraana ho gaya Trump se. Bhai dhai ghante Modiji ki private rally mein baithe rahe" (Modi became friends with Trump who stayed in the formers' public event rally for two and a half hours), said Vats while mentioning that it is same country that denied Visa to Modi when he was chief minister of Gujarat.
OP Dhankar, a minister in Khattar government termed Modi's contribution of boosting India's stature worldwide as a tribute to 'Mother India'.
"Not everything was good about the country. We bore insults and slavery. In the past, if we got a single chance to feel proud, we would sing praises for a century. Swami Vivekanandji had gone to Chicago and we have been talking about it ever since. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had gone to Germany and shook hands with Hitler. And till today, we are singing 'Ragini', (folk song) about it. But this time, not only were there handshakes but the protocol was broken and it was a proud feeling when our Prime Minister spoke and US Trump listened. This is tribute to Mother India, " Dhankar said in his address to a public meeting in village Goyla Kalan of Badli constituency.
Another BJP candidate who invoked PM Modi's Houston rally, which saw leaders across parties in US in attendance was Shamsher Kharkhara. Contesting from Meham, Kharkhara brings nationalism in his speeches frequently.
"When former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went abroad his turban was searched and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had to wait for 45 minutes to meet the then US president. This was our country. I am proud that same country's president that once denied visa to our Prime Minister clapped for 55 minutes for Modiji, " added Kharkhara. (ANI)