Cong used Northeast as ATM, BJP considers eight states ‘Ashtalakshmi’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Congress used Northeast as an ATM, while the BJP considers the eight states of the region as ‘Ashtalakshmi’ (eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi) and is working for its peace and development. Addressing a joint election rally of the BJP and NDPP at Chumoukedima near Dimapur, he said the NDA is striving to bring permanent peace in Nagaland so that Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is completely lifted from the state. ”The country can’t be run by distrusting your own people but by respecting and solving their problems. Earlier, Northeast had politics of divide, but we have now transformed it into ‘devine’ governance (Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East or PMDevINE). The BJP does not discriminate people on the basis of religion or region and religion,” Modi said. Noting that there was political instability in Nagaland during the Congress rule, he claimed that the grand old party remote-controlled Northeast from Delhi, and siphoned off money meant for its development, while giving primacy to ”dynasty politics, from Delhi to Dimapur”.