'Karnataka polls not about you': Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi's 'abused 91 times' allegation

He asked the Prime Minister to speak about the BJP government's work and future programmes for Karnataka instead of talking about himself.

The former Wayanad MP took a dig at Prime Minister Modi's statement about verbal abuses hurled at him.

"You (Modi) come to campaign in Karnataka for elections but don't speak about Karnataka. You speak about yourself. You have to say what you did in Karnataka for the past three years. You also have to speak in your speeches about what you will be doing in the next five years, what will do for youth, education, health and to fight corruption," Gandhi said.

Addressing a public meeting here in Tumakuru district, the Congress leader said, "This election is not about you, it is about Karnataka's people and its future. You say Congress abused you 91 times, but you never speak about what you did for Karnataka. In your next speech, you speak about what you did and what you will do in the next five years."

PM Modi on Saturday targeted the Congress over its party president M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at him and said till now the party and its leaders had hurled various types of abuses at him 91 times.

Stating that this election was about Karnataka's people, youth, mothers and sisters, Gandhi said, "This election is not about one person, not about Narendra Modi. Prime Minister has to understand this."

Accusing the BJP of rampant corruption in Karnataka in the past three years and "taking 40 percent commission in all kinds of work done by the government", Gandhi said that instead of doing work of public good, "they looted from the pockets of the common man and poor".

"It is not that the Prime Minister is not aware of this corruption and 40 per cent commission. He is aware of everything...so my question to PM is despite knowing about this loot for the last three years, did you take any action? You did not. Why? You should answer this to the people of Karnataka," he said.

He also urged the Prime Minister to answer what he did to get Karnataka its right share of tax money, how he helped the state during floods, and how he tried to resolve the inter-state water dispute between Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.