PM Narendra Modi Accuses Pakistan of Interfering in Gujarat Election, Claims it Wants Ahmed Patel as CM

Palanpur (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that senior Congress leaders held a meeting with Pakistan’s former foreign minister and High Commissioner to India at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s residence a day before he made the “neech” comment.

Addressing a poll rally in Palanpur, the Prime Minister claimed that the meeting pointed to Pakistan’s interference in the Gujarat election and sought an explanation from the Congress.

He also raised questions over the alleged appeal by former director general of the Pakistan Army, Sardar Arshad Rafiq, that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel be made the chief minister of Gujarat.

“There were media reports yesterday about a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house. It was attended by Pakistan's high commissioner, Pakistan's former foreign minister, India's former vice president and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,” Modi said.

The meeting at Aiyar's house carried on for almost three hours, Modi said.

"The next day, Mani Shankar Aiyar said Modi was 'neech'. This is a serious matter," he said.

Modi added that Rafiq had backed Ahmed Patel as the next chief minister of Gujarat.

"(On one side) Pakistan Army's former DG is interfering in Gujarat's election, on the other side, Pakistan's people are holding a meeting at Mani Shankar Aiyar's house," he said.

"And, after that meeting, people of Gujarat, backward communities, poor people and Modi were insulted. Don't you think such events raise doubts," Modi asked. He said the Congress should inform the people of the country what exactly it was up to.

Modi was speaking at the rally for the ongoing state Assembly polls. The second phase of polling in north and central Gujarat, including the Banaskantha district, will be held on December 14.