'Kushti' in Kerala, 'dosti' in Tripura: Modi jabs Cong-Left alliance

Radhakishorepur/ Ambassa (Tripura): Lashing out at the Congress-CPI(M) alliance in Tripura, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the two parties have strangely chosen 'dosti' (friendship) in the northeastern state as against their normal 'kushti' (wrestling) in Kerala.

Making a veiled reference to Tipra Motha, Modi claimed that some other parties were also helping the opposition alliance from behind but any vote for them will take Tripura several years backward. "Old players of misgovernance have joined hands for chanda (donation). Those engaged in kushti (wrestling) in Kerala have chosen dosti (friendship) in Tripura, "the PM said at an election rally in Radhakishorepur in Gomati district.

"The opposition wants to divide the votes. Some small 'vote-cutter' parties are waiting for election results, hoping to get their price. Those out with dreams of horsetrading should lock themselves in their homes now itself," he said.

Addressing another election rally in Ambassa in Dhalai district earlier in the day, he alleged that the Left and Congress governments created divisions among tribals, while the BJP worked to resolve their issues, including that of the Brus. "The BJP is working for the upliftment of tribals across India. We have rehabilitated in Tripura over 37,000 Brus displaced from Mizoram. Our government has introduced the tribal language Kokborok in higher education," he said. In the Union budget, the BJP government at the Centre has allocated Rs one lakh crore for the development of tribal areas, Modi said.