Congress President Sonia Gandhi waves during election campaign rally at Rewa Madhya Pradesh
Attacking Narendra Modi and BJP for "greed of power", Sonia Gandhi today said its leaders are day-dreaming of winning and busy pulling each other down but they should realise that India is "not just any other country" which can fall prey to their "selfish" motives.
"BJP leaders are day-dreaming about power. They are so engrossed in their greed for power that they are pulling each other down.
"If they think they can win hearts of the people by using flowery language, they are mistaken. India is not just any other country," the Congress chief said at an election rally in Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, taking on the BJP and the state government.
Noting that India is a thought which gives much regard to composite culture and the principles of brotherhood, compassion and sacrifice, Ms Gandhi said, "They have never understood it nor will they ever understand. They turn a brother against a brother for their selfish ends. There is a need to be cautious about them."
This is for the first time that Ms Gandhi has targeted the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate so hard. It came a day after Mr Modi, in a rally at Chhattisgarh, said that since she is ill, she should let her son Rahul take over. The remark drew sharp criticism from the Congress which sought an immediate apology from him.
Countering Mr Modi's allegation that Centre makes false claims of sending huge funds to the states, Ms Gandhi said the people of Madhya Pradesh should ask in "whose pockets these funds have gone".
The Congress President said her party never compromised with principles for the sake of power.
"Congress never makes empty promises. It fulfils what it says and there is no need to be misled by tall promises of others," she said.
Ms Gandhi alleged that BJP only talks big about itself. "They keep blowing their own trumpet. But stomachs are not filled by promises alone."
Charging the BJP with misrule in Madhya Pradesh in the last ten years, she said it has lagged behind in education, health and employment opportunities and there was a need for change.
"There are corruption charges against 13 ministers lodged with the Lokayukta. But has any investigation been initiated against them?" she said.
She alleged that the UPA government launched MNREGA but in Madhya Pradesh the jobs have gone to contractors instead of the common people.
She said if voted to power, Congress will waive the debt of farmers and give ownership rights to those doing farming on lease on a land for more than three years.
The UPA Chairperson mentioned the Food Security Bill, saying the government at the Centre is concerned about fighting poverty and hunger.
She accused BJP government of having indulged in "mere talk" on development during its decade-long tenure.
Under the BJP rule, there has been rampant malnutrition which has claimed the lives of a large number of children and farmers are living in a very poor condition, she said.
"The condition of farmers is such that a large number of them have been forced to commit suicide," Ms Gandhi pointed out.
She said that a "wave of change" was sweeping through Madhya Pradesh right now and expressed confidence that the Congress will win the November 25 state assembly elections.
Senior Congress leader Ambika Soni accompanied Ms Gandhi.
Others who addressed the rally included Congress General Secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Mohan Prakash, State Congress President Kantilal Bhuria and party MP Arun Yadav.