Congress source of all problems in country, says Modi; takes bitter gourd jibe at rival party

In an acerbic attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held the grand old party responsible for all ills plaguing the country and went on to compare the outfit to bitter gourd (karela), whose taste he said, will never change even if it is "fried in ghee or mixed with sugar".

Seeking votes for the BJP-led NDA, he declared the ensuing Lok Sabha polls were a fight between stability and instability, and accused the opposition of seeking power only to indulge in corruption.

Addressing his first rally in Maharashtra for the 2024 elections, Modi targeted the Congress and its policies.

"The Congress is the source of all problems in the country. Who was responsible for the Partition of the country on the basis of religion...Kashmir (issue), Naxalism? Who opposed Ram temple construction and questioned the existence of Lord Ram. Who declined the Ram temple (inauguration) invite?" he asked the gathering at Chandrapur, the only Lok Sabha seat won by the Congress in 2019.

Modi was campaigning for BJP candidates Sudhir Mungantiwar (Chandrapur) and Ashok Nete (ST-reserved Gadchiroli-Chimur). Both these Lok Sabha seats are among five constituencies in the Vidarbha region that will vote in the first phase on April 19.

The country's oldest party has lost people's support due to its deeds and its recently released manifesto has the imprint of the pro-Partition Muslim League, he maintained.