Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying his economic ideology was "divisive" and was promoted by "corporate of a crony kind".
On claims of Modi's perfect environment for economic development, Ramesh said his corporatisation model is not of "market kind" but is of a crony kind. "He (Modi) believes that if a particular corporate is his buddy and he has to help him out," he added.
Terming the BJP's economic policy not being coherent, the Congress minister said the opponent to one of the biggest economic reform, Goods and Service Tax, for the last two years has been Narendra Modi.
"The greatest champion of GST was BJP leader Yashwant Sinha. The BJP assured GST implementation in its manifesto, the Congress took it forward and the Left adopted it," he said, indicating how Modi has taken over the entire party.
"Modi's political ideology is completely autocratic and social ideology is also divisive," he added.
In contrast, Ramesh said, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has brought in "openness" and "transparency" in the Congress functioning.
"There is an institutional paradigm shift in the selection of candidates. For the first time, people within and outside the party were being consulted on what should be in the manifesto. Third, Rahul Gandhi had ensured Congress penetration in the social media where we had been blacked out by the BJP," he said.
Ramesh also felt that predicating entire election strategy on communication was not right and political mobilisation was more important. "We have huge crowd but was unable to convert it into voting output," he said, adding that political mobilization was being taken up in a big way.
Admitting that anti-incumbency could be a factor against the Congress in 2014 general elections, the minister said high inflation make lose an election whereas low inflation has no impact. He predicted that in best and worst case scenario the Congress would be in "three figures".
Ramesh added that even dismal election results for Congress in 2014 elections would not be end of the road for Rahul Gandhi. "I think Rahul has future past 2014. For many in Congress, 2014 is the last chance," he said.
He pointed out pre-poll alliances will have an important bearing on 2014 elections and the Congress already has three pre-poll alliances. "We are looking for one in Bihar," he said, while almost ruling out an alliance in Uttar Pradesh.
Ramesh also felt that predicating entire election strategy on communication was not right and political mobilisation was more important. "We have huge crowd but was unable to convert it into voting output," he said, adding that political mobilization was being taken up in a big way.
Admitting that anti-incumbency could be a factor against the Congress in 2014 general elections, the minister said high inflation make lose an election whereas low inflation has no impact. He predicted that in best and worst case scenario the Congress would be in "three figures".
Ramesh added that even dismal election results for Congress in 2014 elections would not be end of the road for Rahul Gandhi. "I think Rahul has future past 2014. For many in Congress, 2014 is the last chance," he said.
He pointed out pre-poll alliances will have an important bearing on 2014 elections and the Congress already has three pre-poll alliances. "We are looking for one in Bihar," he said, while almost ruling out an alliance in Uttar Pradesh.
On a lighter note, Ramesh described Archeological Survey of India digging at Unnao for gold as "completely bizarre situation" and wondered how ASI got involved in looking for gold on dream of a priest.