Congress scared of Modi: Rajnath

BJP chief Rajnath Singh claimed Saturday that the Congress was scared of the rising popularity of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and said he expected the Congress to soon intensify its attacks on Modi.

Addressing thousands of people at a rally in Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, Rajnath Singh said: "Modi is one of the most popular leaders of the country and the Congress would try to intensify all sorts of attacks on him as the party is scared of his popularity.'

"All surveys have confirmed Modi's popularity and the BJP is in line to form the next government at the centre," said the BJP chief from the state's tribal heartland Ambikapur town, headquarters of sprawling Surguja region, some 250 km from state capital.

He said the development and welfare works by Modi were being discussed abroad.

The BJP chief hit out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his recent statement in parliament slamming the opposition for allegedly not allowing the house to function smoothly.

"Everybody knows in India what is the real plight of economy, people are battling poverty and unemployment but it's humorous and ridiculous that the prime minister held the opposition BJP responsible for its own government's failures," said Rajnath Singh.

"He (prime minister) said the Congress government failed to deliver because the BJP was vocal in parliament," the BJP president said at the rally held to mark the conclusion of the 6,000 km-plus Vikas Yatra of Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP.