PM acknowledges nonagenarian BJP member sitting in crowd, targets Cong for its treatment of Sachin Pilot

Jaipur, Nov 23 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday drew cheers from the audience at his poll rally in Deogarh in Rajasthan when he recognised a nonagenarian BJP member, Dharam Chand Derasariya, sitting in the crowd and lauded his contribution to the party.

'Derasariya ji has probably given his six decades of his life to propagate this (BJP's) ideology. Today, he is sitting there as a party worker and giving blessings,' Modi said.

He said it was his last public meeting in the state ahead of the November 25 assembly polls and the presence of the veteran (95) had made it highly-valued, drawing praise from the audience.

As someone who rose through the BJP by working in different capacities and various states through decades, Modi has often surprised people by recognising some party worker with whom he might have worked many years back.

In his speech, the prime minister also targeted the Congress, which is in power in the state, for its treatment of Sachin Pilot.

A Gurjar's son who gave his life to the Congress was removed like a fly in milk after the party came to power in Rajasthan, he said. Modi had accused the Congress on Wednesday of punishing Sachin Pilot by meting out the same treatment to him as was done to his father, saying anyone who speaks the truth in the grand old party is shunted out of politics and suggesting that Rajesh Pilot lost favour with the Congress leadership after he contested against Sitaram Kesri for the party president's post in 1997.

Sachin Pilot has been involved in a power tussle with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the prime minister has been referring to it frequently during his campaigns in the poll-bound state. PTI KR SDA KR ANB ANB