BJP leader and Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday challenged Makkal Needhi Maiam president Kamal Haasan to a debate with Vanathi Srinivasan, the BJP’s candidate for the Coimbatore South Assembly constituency.
Recalling her debate with Mr. Haasan on a television platform, she said, “I call upon one who is going around with a torch to debate with Ms. Srinivasan on problems, solutions, policy and governance. The debate will help voters see the difference like milk and water. Let the voters determine who is better between the two,” she said.
Alternating between Hindi and Gujarati, Ms. Irani said voting was a sacred duty because a vote for the BJP was to uplift the poor. As a result they would gain good deeds, which would reach them sitting on the lotus (BJP symbol) and not with a torchlight (MNM party symbol).
Appealing to the young voters to encourage their friends to vote for the BJP, she said during the COVID-19 lockdown, the Central government, through Jandhan accounts, was able to directly transfer money to people’s accounts. It had also given free rations for eight months to 80 crore families. Imagine if this would have reached the people in Tamil Nadu had the DMK been in power, she asked.
According to her, for the BJP politics was a way of serving people. She reminded the people of Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowing down on the Parliament steps in 2014.
A vote for Ms. Srinivasan was a vote for the BJP and a reflection of the faith in Mr. Modi, she said and highlighted the achievements of the BJP government at the Centre.