BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addressing the party's Bharat Bijay Samabesha, an election campaign rally, at Balasore in Odisha on Friday
today said the trends in elections suggest that his responsibilities are increasing, alluding to the massive turnout of people in the Lok Sabha elections.
With BJP being seen as a principle challenger to the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD in parts of Odisha instead of Congress, the party's Prime Ministerial candidate told a rally in Balasore that the affection voters of the state had "shown" for his party in polling booths yesterday has augmented his responsibilities towards them.
(India Votes 2014: Full coverage)"It seems from the trend visible in elections and your affection, which was visible in the polling booths of Odisha yesterday, that my responsibilities are increasing. It is especially so towards you," he said.
"You have showered love toward me and I will return it with dividend. Though I am born in Lord Somnath's land, I have no less affection toward the people in the land of Lord Jagannath," he said.
Ten Lok Sabha seats in the state went to polls yesterday and the remainder 11 constituencies will vote on April 17.
Criticising BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik's lack of ability to speak, read and write Odia language, Mr Modi wondered how the people had tolerated him for 15 years.
"The man who does not understand you language, feel your miseries and pain, cannot give you a good government," Mr Modi said.
"Does your CM meet you? Do you need such people?... You have tolerated a person for 15 years who does not understand your language. You have given Madam Sonia 10 years in the Centre and this government 15 years, give me 60 months," he said, attacking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
Many scams have occurred in the state but were not discussed much as they were overshadowed by the bigger scams in the Centre, Mr Modi said.
The BJP's prime ministerial candidate said he will change Odisha like he did Gujarat.
Congress, he charged, uses the poor as an election tool and chants their name during elections but the BJP is avowed to serving them.
"The Congress leaders chant poor, poor and poor when there are elections. Poverty is a slogan ... a state of mind for them and they have made poverty tourism material," Mr Modi charged.
"There are people for whom the poor are a election slogan, state of mind and tourism," he said, apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi.
"They go to the homes of the poor like you go to Kedarnath and Badrinath on a pilgrimage. They go with the media and to ensure good photographs, they polish off the meal of the poor," he said.
Mr Modi said, "As a politician I can understand the mood of people. The people across the country are for complete change of government and teach the people in power in Delhi a lesson."
"I congratulate people who voted in large numbers yesterday despite a severe heatwave. Going by the mood of voters, I can now claim that Congress cannot cannot open its account," he said.
Hitting out at the BJD government in Odisha, Mr Modi alleged that its "misrule" was being hidden by the "misdeeds" of the Congress government at the centre.
"Though the state's 'beimani' (betrayal) toward people did not come to the fore because of the larger corruption of the UPA government, they are not less dangerous," Mr Modi said.
Hopeful of Odisha scripting history, Mr Modi claimed that the state would spring a miracle by rejecting both BJD and Congress.
"I know the kamal (lotus) is in your head and heart, but that kamal should reach your fingers while voting," he said.