Modi targets Congress, says he understands pain of the poor

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Wednesday said he understood the pain of the poor as he had sold tea early in his life and accused the Congress of making false promises to people.

Addressing election rallies in Maharashtra and Karanataka, Modi also accused Congress of using secularism for vote bank politics.

Addressing a rally at Solapur, Modi took swipes at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who is also the local Congress candidate.

Modi referred to Gandhi as a person "born with golden spoon".

"I was born in poverty. I have suffered it. I use to sell tea in rail compartments. If tea was found to be cold, the customer would break the glass and slap me," said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.

"What is poverty, we know. We will live for the poor. If there is need, we will die for the welfare of the poor. On the other side are those who born with golden spoons," he said.

Referring to Gandhi, Modi said Congress leader had visited the houses of poor to understand poverty and such visits were publicised in the media.

He said Rahul Gandhi's father, grandmother and great grand father were prime ministers.

"They are naamdar (have a family name). I am kaamdar (person who works)," Modi said.

He also accused Congress of being arrogant and making false promises.

Modi said Congress had promised to bring price rise under control in 100 days of coming to power in 2009 but that did not happen.

He also sought to woo farmers saying the party would ensure them remunerative prices for their produce.

Attacking Shinde, he accused him of "worshipping" the first family of Congress.

"Till the (Nehru-Gandhi) family was happy, it is well with Shinde," Modi said.

In his rally at Bidar, Modi accused the Congress of not being able to give a proper account of the 10 years of the party-led UPA government.

"For them secularism is votebank politics. For us it is policy of development," Modi said.

"Usually it happens all parties join ranks to defeat the ruling party but this is the first time, everyone is together to defeat Modi," he added.