Congress takes potshots at Modi for Muslim support claims

New Delhi: Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Monday took potshots at Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi's reported claims that 25 per cent Muslims in Gujarat had voted for him in the recent Assembly elections.

"This is false and baseless statement. Only two Muslim voters in the whole country may cast their votes in Narendra Modi's favour. One belongs to Bihar (Shahnawaz Hussain) and another to Allahabad (Mukhtar Naqvi)," the former Congress MP said.

According to BJP sources, in his address to party state unit presidents and election campaign committee members, Modi had claimed that he had got the support of 25 per cent Muslims in his state and the party should try to reach out to the minorities across the country.

Alvi said that even if Modi's statement was to be accepted, then "the question is that how many Muslims were given tickets there that 25 per cent voted for him."

"We are watching how many Muslim candidates will be fielded by the BJP in the coming assembly elections in five states and next Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Alvi said the BJP leader is "very much hungry to become Prime Minister and he is not realising his defeats in Karnataka where he was chairman of the BJP campaign committee and we have a government there."

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Twitter also attacked the Modi government over vandalisation of an art gallery in Ahmedabad on Friday for exhibiting Pakistani artists' paintings.

"Bajrang Dal and VHP activists vandalised painting exhibition in Ahmedabad. Will the Gujarat government take action against them," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, party General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed ridiculed the BJP for its 'mission 272+' to come in power in next General elections in the country.

"Even die-hard supporters of BJP are laughing their heads off over party's claim that it will get 272 seats in Lok Sabha elections," he tweeted.

In a key meeting of BJP today, the top party leadership, including its President Rajnath Singh gave a call for making 'Mission 272+' a success.