Where does all the money for Modi's publicity come from, asks Rahul

With only three days left for the second phase of the general elections, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has upped the ante against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the source of money being used for his publicity.

"Priyanka ji said in the beginning that wherever you see, you will find publicity of Narendra Modi being done. Switch on TV-Narendra Modi, switch on a radio-Narendra Modi, and walk on the roads-Narendra Modi. Where does all this money for publicity come from?"

"I tell you from where this money is coming from. Narendra Modi has looted crores of your money and has given to all 'chors' (thieves). Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi, Lalit Modi and Anil Ambani were all given stolen money," he claimed.

Making another poll promise, Gandhi said that the Congress will present a separate budget for farmers if voted to power.

"When the Congress comes to power in 2019, we will present a separate budget for farmers. Like there was a separate Railway budget, we will present a farmer budget. We will increase MSP (minimum support price) every year like we used to," Rahul said.

Talking about providing employment, the Congress chief said, "Wherever potato is grown, a chips factory is there. Wherever tomato is grown, a tomato ketchup factory is there. We are creating a network of food processing industries in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. Farmers will sell their produce directly in factories."

Gandhi said that the money for the party's ambitious NYAY scheme will not come from the middle class but people like "Anil Ambani and Mehul Choksi".

In the manifesto, the Congress, if voted to power, had promised to implement a scheme which will give Rs 72,000 per year to 20 per cent of India's poor.

Eight Lok Sabha constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh went to polls in the first phase on April 11. The state, which has 80 seats, will vote in the remaining six stages of the general elections. Counting of votes will be held on May 23 after completion of polling on May 19.