India TV Chunav Manch: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today said that the lower voter turnout this time in his state would not harm his party, because “opposition supporters preferred to stay at home”.
Replying to questions in India TV’s day-long conclave Chunav Manch here, Dhami was asked about the 53.64 pc turnout in April 19 polling in Uttarakhand, the third lowest in India. Dhami replied: “Initially, our people felt that the low voter turnout would be negative for us. When we analyzed, we found that all those who wanted BJP and Modi to come to power, came and voted, because we had practically no opposition in front of us. It was a one-sided election and that’s why those who used to vote for the opposition, did not come out of their homes. This is the reason for low voter turnout.”
On Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda’s controversial remark advocating a US-type inheritance tax which allows children to get only 45 per cent and the remaining 55 per cent taken away by the government, Dhami hit out at the Congress party, saying: “It’s just like asking a topper in a class to give away his marks to a failed student.”
After Congress party today distanced itself from Pitroda’s remark, and the BJP slammed Pitroda, the US-based businessman clarified that his statement on inheritance tax was “twisted to deflect attention from core issues”.
Dhami said: “We are speaking on appeasement policy and redistribution of wealth. Today Rahul Gandhi’s adviser Sam Pitroda said about US inheritance tax and wanted 55 per cent of inheritance to go to the government. Taking away the hard-earned earnings of people like this will mean, giving away the marks of a topper in a class to a failed student so that the failed student can be declared passed. How far is it justified? “
On Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s remark that her grand mother Indira Gandhi gave away her gold to the country during war, and her mother’s ‘mangalsutra’ was sacrificed for the sake of the country, Dhami replied: “We are talking about tushtikaran (appeasement). We are talking about corruption. I want to tell Priyanka Didi, we are not talking about her mother and grandmother, we are talking about how Congress was trying to distribute the nation’s resources.”
Pushkar Singh Dhami in rapid-fire round
On Rahul Gandhi: Whenever I feel that Rahul Gandhi is becoming serious, he proves me wrong.
On 400-paar: There is no confusion that the BJP won't achieve its target of winning 400-plus seats in this election.
On Low voter turnout: Not a sign that it has gone against BJP, NDA or PM Modi.
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