Modi will return as PM: Shah

Amritsar, Feb 24 (IANS) The blood of 40 CRPF martyrs in the Pulwama terror attack will not go waste and terrorists will be taught a lesson that they will remember for long, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah here on Sunday.

"The blood of the 40 (CRPF) martyrs will not go waste. The government will teach them (terrorists) a lesson," Shah said while addressing BJP workers ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

He said only the BJP could provide a strong and stable government at the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he would take the country forward. "The next Prime Minister will be Narendra Modi," he asserted.

Taking a dig at the opposition, Shah said the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) do not even have a leadership face for the top post. It cannot take the country forward, he added.

Shah said while Rs 12 lakh crore scam took place during the Congress-led UPA government (2004-2014), the opposition cannot accuse Prime Minister Modi of corruption of even a single penny.

Referring to Punjab, he accused the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led Congress government of halting development works initiated by the previous government. "A number of schemes started by the SAD-BJP government has been stopped by the Congress government," he said.

Poking fun at the Punjab Chief Minister, Shah said: "He has started spending time in Chandigarh and visiting office because elections are near".

Remarking that promises made by the Congress before Assembly elections had not been met, the BJP chief said, "The farm debt waiver is a sham. No farmer has received any benefit.".

On Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Shah said he had lowered "the dignity of the country by embracing Pakistani Army Chief, who is killing our soldiers everyday".

The BJP has an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab and will contest 3 of the 13 Lok Sabha seats, leaving the rest for the SAD.