Arun Jaitley said Rahul Gandhi became a victim of his own "falsehood" (File Photo)
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday took a dig at the Congress party, saying that India's grand old party was contesting the 2019 election on 1971 agenda.
"The Congress is contesting the 2019 election on the 1971 agenda. It is not in tune with the times," Finance Minister Jaitley said in a blog titled -- ''Has the Congress thrown its Hands up?''
"The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi are 48 years behind the times. 2019 and 1971 are 48 years apart. India's social combination and economic profile has completely changed," he said, while adding the ''writing on the wall is clear.''
"Those who lived a life of entitlement all through give up when office seems to be a distant dream," Mr Jaitley said in the blog.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised a "surgical strike" on poverty if his party is voted to power at the centre.
According to a World Bank report released last year, poverty in India declined from 38.9 per cent in 2004 to 21.2 per cent in 2011.
Mr Jaitley further said that Rahul Gandhi built up a "fake narrative" on Rafale and loan waiver to business houses, which was "contrary to the truth."
"The fake issues evaporated and now strike no chord with the electorate," he said.
The Union Finance Minister said Rahul Gandhi became a victim of his own "falsehood."
"Having to apologise to the Supreme Court for false public narrative, significantly diminishes the credibility of a political leader. Rahul became a victim of his own falsehood," said the Finance Minister.
Mr Jaitley further claimed that Rahul Gandhi offered four seats to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal out of desperation without realising that Mr Kejriwal was "playing games with him."
"He displayed the desperation of a loser," Mr Jaitley said in the blog.
The minister alleged that Rahul Gandhi took Balakot strikes as a "blow to the Congress party" and not to Pakistan sponsored terrorism.
"Instead of sharing the nationalist mood in the country post-Balakot, Rahul positioned his party against both the national interest and the national mood. He considered Balakot not a blow to Pakistan sponsored terrorism but to the Congress party," the senior BJP leader said.
The minister further claimed that "euphoric reaction" on the ground suggests a bigger mandate than 2014 for the NDA.
"The only issue in the future rounds is the width of the margin of victory of the BJP. Will it be a repeat of 2014 in terms of votes or will it be more? The euphoric reaction at the ground suggests a mandate larger than 2014."
"A 65 per cent to 70 per cent approval rating for an incumbent Prime Minister is unprecedented in India. It is reflecting in the groundswell," said Mr Jaitley.