PM Modi challenges Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 min without reading script

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi while challenging him to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of his party in Karnataka without reading from paper.

Addressing a public rally in Chamarajanagar district in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Modi said, "I challenge you (Rahul Gandhi) to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of your government in Karnataka without reading from any piece of paper. You can speak in Hindi, English or your mother tongue."

Further taking a dig at Congress president for not wishing the nation on Labour Day and said, "Perhaps due to over-excitement, the newly-elected Congress president forgets decency. He did not even bother to congratulate the hardworking labourers due to whom India's villages are getting electricity," Prime Minister Modi noted.

Taking a jibe over 'dynasty politics', Prime Minister Modi referred Rahul as 'namdaar' and called himself 'kaamdaars'.

"We are kaamdaars. Our level is not such that we can sit with people like the Congress president, who look down upon us," Prime Minister Modi said.

He further questioned former prime minister Manmohan Singh's 2005 promise of providing electricity to every village by 2009.

"During the time of Sonia Gandhi's government, then prime minister Manmohan Singh had said that he would provide electricity to every village by 2009. What happened to that," the Prime Minister asked.

Highlighting the achievements of National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Prime Minister Modi said that the NDA is behind electrification of 39 villages in Karnataka.

"There were 39 villages in Karnataka which did not have electricity in 2014. But because of our governance at the Centre, these villages were electrified. What did Congress government do for these villages before we came to power at the Centre," asked Prime Minister Modi.

"Those who keep abusing us day and night do not tell why there are still four crore households without electricity. We have vowed to electrify these four crore households through Saubhagya Yojana," Prime Minister Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi also alleged that the Congress has a habit to stall, stop and misdirect.

He also slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government over lack of development in Chamarajanagar district.

"Why are the people of Chamarajanagar not getting access to proper drinking water, jobs and why is the tourism potential here not being harnessed. What is the state government doing? Congress has a habit of doing politics even in progress. For five years, the rail project in Chamarajanagar has been stalled under Congress rule," Prime Minister Modi said.

Concluding his speech, Prime Minister Modi hit out at the 'family politics' in Karnataka and also mocked Siddaramaiah by referring him the chief minister who often falls asleep during public rallies.

"There is 2+1 formula which being practiced in Karnataka. It is a version of the Congress's family politics in Karnataka. This is the political innovation of the chief minister who often falls asleep during rallies or meeting)." Prime Minister Modi added.

"If chief minister has a 2+1 formula, then his ministers have 1+1 formula. The relatives of those ministers are fighting polls. This is hurting the workers of the Congress," Prime Minister Modi stated.

The Prime Minister, who kick-started the BJP campaign in Karnataka today, is scheduled to hold two more rallies in Karnataka's Udupi and Belagavi district today.

He will address 15 rallies in total over a period of just five days.

(ANI)