Cong plays vote bank politics, creates doubt and fear: PM

In a scathing attack Saturday on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday accused it of practising vote bank politics, telling lies and creating doubt and fear in the minds of people.

Modi made the charge here at a rally, where Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also announced free electricity up to a specific limit for farmers with general category power connections.

The meeting ended just ahead of the Election Commission announcement in New Delhi of Assembly poll dates for Rajasthan and four other states. The EC's model code of conduct for political parties then kicked in.

Modi said vote bank politics is not limited to elections now, but is destroying the entire system.

The prime minister said parties which follow vote bank politics divide the bureaucracy when they come into power, appointing officials who fit into their scheme.

They allocate the budget as per vote bank politics and therefore overall development does not happen, he said.

The Congress has established this tradition in the past 60 years, Modi said. "With great difficulty, the country has picked the right direction now after 60 years. Don't give them another chance."