Tripura Assembly polls: Congress a flute with holes, CPI(M) sitar with broken strings, says Rajnath Singh

Agartala (Tripura) [India], February 8 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in poll-bound Tripura, claiming that they were like musical instruments that were broken beyond repair.
Speaking at the ruling BJP's 'Vijay Sankalp' rally in the northeastern state in west Agartala on Wednesday, Singh said, "In Tripura, one party is a flute and the other is a sitar. The Congress is a flute with many holes in it while the CPI(M) is a sitar with broken strings. They do not have any melody left in them."
"During the CPI(M) regime, fear, hunger and corruption were rife in this state and it wasn't until the BJP came to power that things changed for the better," the Defence minister said.
Urging the people to vote the BJP back to power in the state, Singh added, "You gave us five years and we changed the face of Tripura. Give us another five years, and we will make it the number one state."
"The state has long suffered the debilitating effects of terrorism and extremism. However, no insurgency could shake the undying love of the people for their native soil. Tripura has changed for the better," Singh added.
He said, "In 2018, BJP raised the slogan 'Chalo Paltai' (Left's bring a change) in Tripura and you responded by uprooting the Communist rule. This time, the BJP has coined the slogan 'Chalo Sushashan Ke Majboot Banai' (let us make good governance better)."
Targeting the CPI(M), Singh claimed they only exploited the poor when it power.
He said, "The CPI(M), which talks about the poor, labourers and workers, only exploited them when it power. They should first implement the Old Pension Scheme in Kerala (where it is in power) before promising to roll it out here."
The Union minister lauded the strides that Tripura has made under the BJP rule and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre.
"The transformation of Tripura is for all to see. We have boosted connnectivity in the state like never before. Under the leadership of the prime minister, Tripura got a diamond in the form of an international airport. It was more than anyone could ever imagine," Singh added.
"BJP has not done any favour to Tripura by bringing development. It was our duty. Eighty crore people across the country have been provided free ration. LPG connections have been provided to women belonging to poor families. Medical treatment has also been provided free of cost," he added.
Tripura will go to the Assembly polls on February 16 and the counting of votes will take place on March 2 along with those of Meghalaya and Nagaland. (ANI)