Modi blames Congress for farmers' poor condition

Sasaram/Gaya (Bihar), March 27 (IANS) BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at the election rallies in Bihar Thursday hit out at the Congress for neglecting farmers, who are fighting for survival without adequate power and water for irrigation.

He also questioned the Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, saying the party has only made false promises.

"Only during elections does the Congress remember the poor and claims to be pro-poor. But the Congress-led UPA has hardly fulfilled its promises made to farmers and the poor," Modi said at public meetings in Sasaram and Gaya parliamentary constituencies.

Accusing Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi of being insensitive towards the poor, Modi said the union government also failed to provide food grain to the poor despite a directive by the Supreme Court.

"They let crops rot despite a Supreme Court order. They don't care about the people. They are heartless. They don't distribute food grain among the poor, instead they sell it to liquor manufacturers," the Gujarat chief minister said.

At both meetings, Modi reminded the people that ahead of the 2009 polls the Congress had promised to bring down prices in 100 days, but had failed to do so.

"The Congress government at the centre only makes promises, it is a government of liars," he said.

Modi also accused the centre and the Nitish Kumar government in the state of being soft on terrorists.

"Terrorism divides but tourism unites. Thousands of tourists visit Bihar, attracted by Buddha. Tourism provides opportunities to the poorest of the poor. After the terror attack in Bodh Gaya last year, the number of tourists has dropped," he said.

Modi also targeted Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who is the sitting MP from Sasaram and the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha polls, saying the condition of her constituency was very bad.

"She is a powerful MP but people are without power and water," he said.

"It's high time to break ties with the Congress," he said.