Modi's claims of 'changing this country in 60 months' very unfortunate: Congress

The Congress Party on Friday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is making unreal claims of bringing a positive change across the country in just 60 months, and described the statement as extremely unfortunate.

"Modi's speech is purely misleading. I want to refresh his memory, that when the BJP was in power in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, what did they do for the people of Bundelkhand, or Uttar Pradesh? What were the developments? All this talk is very unfortunate," Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi said.

Congress leader Meem Afzal, echoing similar sentiments, said the people of this country have rejected the saffron outfit earlier, and they will answer them in the same way in the coming elections.

"The people of this country will decide. BJP had six-and-a-half years, and what did it do? That is why they were removed by the people, and the people will again answer them in the same way," he said.

Urging people to vote for the BJP, Modi said in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, that his party would change the face of the country if given 60 months of service at the Centre in a way that the Congress has had 60 years of power and not been able to achieve anything progressive.

He said: "Today, I have come to assure you on the basis of my experience as an administrator, you have given the Congress 60 years, try us for 60 months . ... From half a roti, they've come to a full roti in 60 years. To feed you well, they will take another hundred years. Do you want to wait?" he added while referring to the old Congress slogan of 'aadhi roti khayenge, phir bhi school jayenge' (we will have half a roti, but will still go to school).

BJP President Rajnath Singh and senior party member Uma Bharti were also present at the rally.