Dehradun, Nov. 6 -- Union Home minister Amit Shah called for a "hat-trick" in Uttarakhand, setting a target of winning more than 65 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Addressing a public rally here on the occasion of the 26th Foundation Day of Uttarakhand, Shah said that when the Congress is in power, it advocates for a "Muslim university", while the BJP was clearing government land from encroachment by removing "illegal shrines and madrasas".

He also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "vote bachao yatra" was a "ghuspetiya bachao" yatra, as he called for the removal of "infiltrators" from the electoral rolls and the country.

In his address at the rally, Shah asserted that the BJP is set to form the government in Uttarakhand once again and said the "voice of Uttarakhand" should reach Rahul Gandhi.

"BJP aims to make Uttarakhand a secure and prosperous state, and to transform 'Devbhoomi' into the cultural capital of the country," Shah said, as he set a target of winning more than 65 seats in the polls set to be held early next year. The state has 70 Assembly constituencies.

Shah said, "When Congress comes to power, they advocate for a Muslim university, while the BJP is freeing government land from encroachment by removing illegal shrines (mazar) and madrasas."

"Rahul Gandhi was miffed" when encroachment was ordered to be removed from 29 acres land in Haldwani, the minister claimed, referring to a land dispute in the town.

Shah urged party workers to conduct door-to-door outreach and ensure the formation of a BJP government for the third consecutive term.

Pointing to the party's performance-securing 57 seats in 2017 and 47 seats in 2022-he called for achieving the target of "crossing 65 seats" this time.

Shah said that Rahul Gandhi's "vote bachao yatra", in reality, is a 'ghuspethiya (infiltrator) bachao yatra'.

He further claimed that the tourism sector in Uttarakhand has witnessed a 380 per cent growth. Highlighting government efforts to curb migration, he noted that the government has shifted the focus from a "money-order economy" to an "industrial economy."

"Rahul ji, your attempts at tourism in the state will not help, as thousands of BJP workers are continuously working to solve problems of locals across the state.

The Modi-Dhami are working together to ensure that development of Uttarakhand govt does not stop," said Shah.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.