Congress lacks democracy: Modi

Addressing a huge rally at Davengere, Modi urged the people to end the decade-long Congress rule

One family controls the Congress and there is no democracy in the party, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said Tuesday.

Referring to the two-day visit of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to the state Feb 15-16, Modi said he was astounded by his (Gandhi's) claim that there was no "high command" in the Congress.

"Do you believe what Rahul says that there is no high command in the Congress? What is the Congress without the high command?

"One family rules that party. There is no democracy in the Congress."

Addressing a huge rally at Davangere, about 260 km from Bangalore, Modi urged the people to end the decade-long Congress rule.

"If you want to save the country, there is only one mantra: free India from the Congress in the coming elections."

Calling the Congress an arrogant party, which he said had ruined India by perpetuating a one-family rule, Modi said the party suffered because of its dynastic leadership and more.

"During Mahatma Gandhi's times, the Congress was a noble idea and a noble thought. With fake Gandhis taking over the party, its idea and thought have changed dramatically. Its leaders think only they have the brains and others are brainless," he said in his 45-minute address.

He appealed to the people to vote for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.

Modi said for every lotus (BJP's election symbol) Karnataka sends to parliament, he would return it with the Hindu goddess Lakshmi seated in it to usher in prosperity in the state.

"I need lotus from every parliamentary constituency in Karnataka. I will send it (lotus) back with Lakshmi in it," he said to thunderous applause from the gathering on a hot sunny afternoon.

Karnataka has 28 parliamentary constituencies. In 2009, the BJP won 19 seats, the Congress six and the Janata Dal-Secular three seats.

Visiting the state for the second time after being nominated the prime ministerial candidate, Modi shared the dais for the first time with the party's former chief minister B.S. Yeddyruappa, who returned to the BJP last month from the Karnataka Janata Party he floated in December 2012.