Lohardaga: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday trained guns at the Congress, accusing the party of stalling the decision on Ayodhya land dispute case in the Supreme Court that had on November 15 ruled in favour of building Ram temple. He also alleged that the Congress party kept the Kashmir problem hanging for 70 years in its "greed" to protect its vote bank. "Everyone wanted a Ram temple in Ayodhya but the Congress kept stalling the case," Shah told at election rallies in Manika and Lohardaga, as he kicked off the BJP's campaign for the Jharkhand Assembly Elections.

"For so many years this judgement was not happening. We also wanted a resolution to this dispute within the framework of the Constitution. Now see how with the blessings of Lord Ram the Supreme Court has cleared the way for the construction of a grand Ram temple, Shah said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also accused the Congress of delaying a solution to the Kashmir issue for seven decades. "The Congress party left the Kashmir problem hanging fire for 70 years in its greed to protect its vote bank. Modiji (PM Narendra Modi) has erased the blot of Article 370 from the crown jewel of 'Bharat Mata' and paved the way for Kashmir's development," he said.'

Further justifying the move to scrap special status given to the Valley, Shah said the Modi government scrapped articles 370 and 35A during the very first Parliament session it faced after winning an absolute majority for a second time. In Jharkhan, BJP president also accused the Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) combine of indulging in corruption and "hoodwinking" the tribals and the poor.

WATCH | BJP President Amit Shah addresses a public meeting at BS College Ground in Lohardaga, Jharkhand


"The JMM leadership indulged in corruption of thousands of crore of rupees, while the BJP dispensation led by Raghubar Das gave a stable government and took the state forward on the path of development," he said.

"JMM leader Hemant Soren should be asked which party he has aligned with, a party which hoodwinked tribals for 70 years. I would like to ask the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi to give an account of what they have done for tribals. The BJP will also give an account of the work it has done for the state," Shah said.

He also wanted to know why the Congress failed to provide electricity, cooking gas connection, health cards, toilets and homes to the people. During the event, Shah also lauded the Raghubar Das government for 'freeing' the state of the naxal menace, saying it was the most important achievement of the current BJP dispensation.

Jharkhand will go to polls in five phases. The first phase of polling will be held on November 30, after which polling will be held on December 6, 12, 16 and 20. The results will be declared on December 23. The Congress has forged an alliance with regional parties including JMM and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the state.