Mizoram election 2023: Union Minister Rajnath Singh slams ruling MNF for its failure to bring development

Rajnath Singh, the minister of defence, spoke at public gatherings on Wednesday in the Mizoram districts of Mamit and Siaha while on the campaign trail in the state.

Addressing a poll rally in Mamit, the Defence Minister assured a slew of guarantees for the people of Mizoram if the BJP comes to power. He also criticised the Congress and the Mizo National Front (MNF), which is now in power in the state, for their failure to bring in development.

"Has the MNF done anything for the development of the people in Mizoram? said the minister of defence...Congress is synonymous with ineptitude and corruption. Additionally, BJP is a byword for growth and leadership," he added.

Speaking about the promises in the BJP’s election manifesto, the union minister said, "We're going to start Operation Drug-Free Mizoram to stop drug addiction among young people in the state. Brothers and sisters, we are going to launch the Queen Ropuiliani Women Empowerment Scheme, which will provide a total of Rs 1.5 lakhs in financial aid to each girl child. A Special Investigation Team will be formed to look into any anomalies or corruption related to the SEDP's implementation. We will introduce the LOTUS (Livelihood Opportunity Transformation and Upliftment Scheme) and provide LOTUS Family ID Cards to all qualifying households in an effort to improve livelihoods and quality of life in order to dispel the myths and corruption surrounding the SEDP Scheme."

Also Read: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju slams Congress for neglecting Northeast during their 60 years rule

Further, Singh also slammed Congress and said that the Northeast has developed rapidly after the Modi-led NDA Government came to power.

He said, "Mizoram and the North Eastern states were not only geographically remote from us, but also emotionally distant under the Congress administration in Delhi. Since the Modi-led NDA government took office, the North East has experienced remarkable development. For the past 20 years, I have been travelling to the Northeastern states. In this location, there had been a serious connection issue. Reaching the capitals of the states in the northeast proved difficult. There was not a straight path. Since each state has an airport, all of the North Eastern states are directly connected to Delhi today. In the Northeast, there were eight airports and one waterway in 2014; now, there are seventeen airports and eighteen waterways."

"Since the Modi-led NDA government took office, the Northeast has seen a complete transformation in the last nine years due to the increased road and rail connections. "I promise that by 2027, our nation will rank among the world's leading economies," he continued.