Seeking votes in Haryana, Modi links Congress with corruption

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Congress of practising corruption and nepotism while seeking votes for the ruling BJP in Haryana’s Assembly elections.

Addressing an election rally in Sonipat on Wednesday (September 25), Modi claimed that the Congress was losing hope ahead of the balloting on October 8 and that support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was growing.

He accused the Congress of handing over Haryana to "dalals" (middlemen) and "damads" (sons-in-law), in a veiled reference to the Gandhi family.

Congress equals corruption: Modi

"Wherever the Congress has put its foot, corruption and 'bhai-bhatijawaad' (nepotism) are inevitable. The Congress has given birth to corruption in the government system,” he said.

“The Congress party is the mother of corruption in our country," he added.

During the rally, Modi asked a young boy in the crowd who had drawn a picture of the prime minister to hand it over to his security team. He promised to write him a personal letter.

Modi seeks votes for BJP

“Today, Haryana ranks among the country's top states in the field of agriculture and industry under the BJP government,” the prime minister said.

“When industrialisation happens, the poor, farmers and Dalits receive most of the benefits," he said.

Voting for the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 5. The votes will be counted on October 8.

Congress attacks Modi

Ahead of Modi's rally in Sonipat, the Congress said that Haryana's farmers had lost trust in the BJP.

"Haryana's farmers have completely lost trust in the BJP. When the farm protests were called off in 2021, farmers left after being reassured by the non-biological PM and his government that they would meet their demands," said Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.

(With agency inputs)