Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that 10 of the 15 years of BJP Government in Chhattisgarh were spent in struggle under the UPA rule at the Centre which adopted a negative approach towards BJP-ruled States.

Addressing a public rally in Mahasamund, he said that after his Government came to power at the Centre, Chhattisgarh witnessed development as various Government schemes and people's participation took the State to new heights.

“The first 10 years of Raman Singh Government were spent fighting the negative forces. The remote-controlled Government in Delhi did not allow Raman Singh to work for his State. It was only after 2014, that he could work to bring in development in the State,” he said.

“Do you want to give an opportunity to people who ruined the lives of earlier generations of the State?” asked Modi while warning the people against voting for the Congress. The BJP, he said, was the answer for Chhattisgarh’s progress.

Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s pledge to waive farm loans if his party came to power in the State, Modi said the Congress’ days of getting votes by “lying and misleading people” were over.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi, Modi said “It has been almost a year since your party came to power in Karnataka but what happened to your promise of waiving loans of farmers?”

The Prime Minister denied that his Government waived Rs 3.5 lakh crore of corporate loans of a handful of industrialists.

“It is them (Congress) who gave out indiscriminate loans and allowed the banks to be looted.

Between 2006 and 2014, they (Congress) gave out loans equal to the amount that was given after independence till 2006. It is our Government which dared to enact tough laws and seized billions of rupees worth of properties of the fraudsters who have absconded,” he said.

Campaigning for final phase of polls ends

Campaigning for the second and final phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh ended on Sunday evening. Polling in 72 constituencies spread across 19 districts will be held on Tuesday.

Leaders of many political parties held public meetings at various places to garner support for their candidates.