PM Modi at a poll rally in Haryana's Hisar
Calling the Congress a "dishonest party", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked voters in Haryana to review grand old party's poll promises in neighbouring Haryana, making a case for his party, the BJP.
"See in neighbourhood in Himachal, what they have done. During polls there, what all lies they spoke, you cannot even imagine and after coming to power, they are escaping from the promises they made," PM Modi said at a Jan Ashirwad rally in Hisar city.
"People are now telling Congress "Kya hua tera vada (What happened to your promise)". Congress is asking people "tum kaun (who are you)", said the Prime Minister during his third poll rally in the state.
"Delhi's royal family trapped people of Himachal in their lies. Today, they don't have budget to pay salaries and DA to employees in Himachal," the Prime Minister said attacking the Congress.
Two months ago, during a session of the state Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu acknowledged the state's financial struggles, announcing a two-month deferment of salaries for himself, ministers, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPS), and MLAs. However, he later claimed there was no financial crisis, contradicting his earlier statement.
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the state Assembly that the delay was part of the government's attempt to enforce fiscal prudence and financial discipline. he further said promised that salaries would be paid on the 1st of the month from the next cycle.
Rahul Gandhi, at the manifesto launch in Delhi today, said the Congress' "incoming government" in Haryana will end "the decade of pain" and the party has resolved to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people of the state.
A commission for the farmers' welfare, Rs 2 crore for the families of soldiers killed in action, promoting labour-intensive units for generating employment and reconstitution of the Haryana Minority Commission are among the Congress' poll promises.
The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of speaking lies on Minimum Support Price or MSP of crops and said the BJP government in the state was procuring 24 crops on minimum support price.
"In Congress-ruled states, only one or two crops are purchased on MSP. Can farmers trust such deceitful Congress. Haryana has faith only on BJP," he said.
Pitching for "non-stop" Haryana, PM Modi said people have decided to bring BJP to power in the state for third successive term.
PM Modi further claimed that stability is a far-fetched thing for the Congress because of its infighting and now everyone in the party is jostling among themselves to become chief minister in Haryana with "Bapu" (Bhupinder Singh Hooda) and "Beta" (Deepender Hooda) also the contenders.
"Where there is Congress, there can never be stability. How can a party that cannot bring unity among its leaders bring stability in the state? There is a fight going on within the Congress as to who will become the Chief Minister, The father is a claimant, the son is also a claimant. Both of them are together trying to deal with the rest," said the Prime Minister.
The voting for the 90-member assembly will take place on October 5. The votes will be counted on October 8.