Negligence, graft ‘doubled’ under Cong in Assam: PM Modi

PM Modi was referring to the five “guarantees” announced by the Congress, as part of its election manifesto.

In an apparent dig at the five guarantees made by the Congress in poll-bound Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the opposition party of making “false promises”, saying that negligence and corruption “doubled” in the 50 years that the Congress was in power at the Centre and in the state.

“Selling dreams to the poor, telling lies, making them fight among themselves and ruling over them – this has been the Congress’ old formula to stay in power,”: said Narendra Modi (PTI Photo)

At another rally in West Bengal later in the day, Modi targeted the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and said that the party’s leader West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had already started questioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) because she is “anticipating defeat.”

In Assam’s Golaghat district, while addressing a poll campaign in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)’s candidate Atul Bora, the Prime Minister said: “Those who ruled Assam for over 50 years are these days giving five guarantees to the people of the state. But the Assamese are aware of the intentions of these people who have the habit of making false promises.”

“Selling dreams to the poor, telling lies, making them fight among themselves and ruling over them – this has been the Congress’ old formula to stay in power,” he added.

Modi was referring to the five “guarantees” announced by the Congress, as part of its election manifesto.

“When there was a Congress government at the Centre and the state at the same time, there was double neglect, double corruption and double infiltration,” he added.

Responding to the PM’s remarks, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was also campaigning in the state, said: “The Congress has decided on five guarantees for Assam in this election. These are not hollow promises and untruths. When our government is formed, we will definitely implement these five guarantees for you.”

Later in the day, at a rally in West Bengal’s Bankura district, the PM again promised “asol parivartan (real change)” for the people of the state and asserted that the “game of corruption will not continue”. “Anticipating defeat, Didi has already started questioning the EVMs (electronic voting machine) which had brought her to power 10 years back,” he said.