Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the people of the Himachal Pradesh to vote for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 9 November assembly polls and vote out Congress to end ‘mafia raj’ that thrived under its five years rule.

Hitting the campaign trail in HP from Rehan in Fatehpur Assembly area of Kangra district, Modi said only five demons (Mining mafia, forest mafia, drug mafia, tender mafia and transfer mafia) thrived under Congress regime.

“These five demons looted the resources of the state and ruined the future of younger generation,” he said, such corrupt practices deprived the people of the state from development which was their right.

PM Modi likened his narrative with a mythological story wherein the life of demon was kept in a parrot and said the life of these five evils is in EVM button.

He urged the electorate to press the right button and kill these demons. “The people of the state now have the chance to throw out the corrupt which had looted them in last five years,” he said.

PM Modi lashed at the Congress for announcing zero tolerance against corruption in election manifesto when the chief minister (Virbhadra Singh) is out on bail in corruption case and said the party has become a laughing stock. “Congress has now become an example of decaying thinking which is deeply mired corruption, communalism and casteism,” he said.

PM Modi said BJP’s ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ campaign has been launched to uproot the rotten thinking which has become a norm in the grand old party.

He also took a dig at former Union minister P Chidambaram for endorsing more autonomy for Kashmir and said many soldiers from almost every part of HP had laid their lives for nation while serving in Kashmir while Congress leaders are insulting their sacrifices.

“Congress has no right to insult the brave soldiers of the state and their sacrifices,” PM Modi said, adding not even a single leader from the party showed the courage to criticise this leader (Chidambaram).

He also criticised party’s vice president Rahul Gandhi for meeting Chinese diplomat amidst the 72-day long Doklam standoff and said he went to meet the Chinese ambassador secretly, instead of asking the elected government.

“Has the meeting not insulted the soldiers, government and people of the country,” he questioned.

PM Modi said a person (Rahul Gandhi) whose grandfather, mother and father had been the PM of the country, doesn’t believe in government, army and the people of the country.

He  tried to strike an emotional chord with the people gathered in the rally and said he had a connect with the people of the state as he had served here for many years.

PM Modi appealed to the women for ensuring 5 per cent more turnout than men to protect their children from drug menace, which flourished under Congress rule.

“Our objective for forming government in Himachal Pradesh is not to gain power but to make the state magnificent and divine (Dev Bhoomi) as it was known earlier,” PM Modi said.