"Congress is not following in Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps," Shivraj Chouhan said. (File photo)
Instead of following Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress was following in "Jinnah''s footsteps", Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, asserting that it would "destroy" the country.
Addressing a rally in Naharkatia in poll-bound Assam's Dibrugarh district, the senior BJP leader said that the Congress has failed to carry out any developmental work in the Northeastern states since Independence.
"Congress is not following in Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps. Congress and Rahul Gandhi are following in Jinnah's footsteps. And Jinnah's steps will destroy Assam and India," Mr Chouhan said, referring to the opposition party's alliance with AIUDF in Assam, ISF in West Bengal and IUML in Kerala.
The BJP leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi is "dividing India" into north and south, while doing the same politics in Assam, creating differences between different tribes and communities.
"Congress ruled Assam for 55 years, but what has it given? Assam which was not defeated by the Mughals due to the heroism of Lachit Borphukan (Ahom general), Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave only infiltration, violence, terrorism, agitation, hunger and unemployment," Mr Chouhan alleged.
The Congress will "become history" under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he claimed.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was also present at the public meeting.
Mr Chouhan was in Naharkatia, which is going to the polls in the first phase on March 27, to campaign for first-time BJP candidate Taranga Gogoi, who will have a triangular contest with Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Congress'' former minister Pranatee Phukan.
Sitting AGP MLA Naren Sonowal, part of the BJP-led NDA, is also in a "friendly contest" against the BJP candidate.