Kharge blames PM Modi for Bihar rally delay, alleges BJP obstruction: 'Had to keep waiting inside my helicopter...'

Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the significant delay in the start of his rally in election-bound Bihar.

This comes amid intense campaigning in the state ahead of the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly polls.

Arriving close to two hours after the scheduled start of his rally in Chenari, Rohtas district, the octogenarian accused BJP members of always coming in “our way”.

"I would have reached in time, but security officials at the airport told me I must wait till Narendra Modi's aircraft takes off. So I had to keep waiting inside my helicopter for about an hour and a half," Kharge was quoted by PTI.

The Prime Minister held two rallies in Aurangabad and Kaimur districts, both neighbouring Rohtas.

The Congress president alleged: "BJP wallahs always keep coming in our way. Modi spends most of his time abroad and is seen in the country only at the time of elections. He has no qualms about canvassing even in Panchayat and municipal elections".

Meanwhile, addressing poll rallies in Rohtas and Gayaji, Kharge alleged, "Modi does not hesitate to lie; his friend Amit Shah is also like him.”

"Modi said a ‘katta’ (country-made handgun) was put on Congress' temple (part of the head) by the RJD to steal the CM candidature from the Congress. Actually, it is the BJP which is the real thief," he said.

He also accused the BJP of misleading the people, claiming that the party has failed to deliver on commitments such as providing Rs 2 crore annually to farmers and one crore houses for the poor.

"Modi said he will give Rs 2 crore each year to farmers. Did he? No. He said he will give 1 crore houses to the poor. Did he? No," the senior Congress leader claimed.