PM playing gimmicks sensing BJP's defeat in polls: Congress

The Congress Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resorted to "gimmickry" after sensing defeat of BJP into elections, days after Modi accused the opposition party of "abusing" his mother during campaigning in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

Addressing a rally in Chhatarpur Saturday, Modi had said the Congress was dragging his nonagenarian mother into politics since the party lacked "strength" to take on him and is bereft of any other issues.

Modi's outburst came days after Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Raj Babbar compared falling value of Indian rupee against the US dollar with the age of Modi's mother Hiraben.

"Those who are on the verge of defeat plays gimmicks in a bid to convert it into victory," Congress national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said here when asked about the prime minister's remarks.

 

Modi had said: "Those in the Congress, you do not have the strength to fight Modi. In the last 17-18 years, I have challenged you at every instance and defeated you. And you are dragging my mother into politics? Does this behove the Congress and its leaders?

"When you do not have issues, when there is a bankruptcy of issues and arrogance is sky-high, only then one dares to abuse someone else's mother," he said.

Chaturvedi said Modi owed answer to 7.5 crore people of the BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh, which is going to polls on November 28.

"Farmers, women and tribals have raised various questions, but he (Modi) didn't reply to the issue of corruption. Neither did he start any enquiry into these issues. He didn't comment on unemployment. You shared your 'Man Ki Baat', but sometimes you should talk about 'Jan Ki Baat'," she said.

Chaturvedi said Modi had promised creation of two crore jobs, but in reality only 17,000 employment opportunities are created every year.

"Farmers are facing problems. Madhya Pradesh is leading the country in terms of suicides committed by farmers. He (Modi) should reply on this issue," the Congress spokesperson said.