New Delhi, Nov 1 : The Congress on Friday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he slammed the grand old party over "unfulfilled poll promises" while claiming that the fiscal health of the Congress-ruled states is turning from bad to worse.
While Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Siddaramaiah -- Chief Ministers of two Congress-ruled states -- Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, respectively, took to X to express displeasure over PM Modi's assertion in a series of posts, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal had select questions for the Prime Minister.

Earlier on Friday, taking to X, PM Modi wrote: "The Congress Party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign, they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed in front of the people!"

"Check any state where the Congress has Governments today - Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana - the developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse. Their so-called Guarantees lie unfulfilled, which is a terrible deceit upon the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers and women, who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted," PM Modi further said.

Responding to the Prime Minister, Venugopal wrote on X: "The uncrowned champion of puffery, misdirection and unfulfilled promises has the audacity to question Congress’ unparalleled track record of delivering welfare. Where are the Ache Din, Mr. Modi? Where is the Amrit Kaal? What happened to delivering housing for all by 2022, 100 smart cities, or the many lies you told the people about the benefits of demonetisation?

"Our government in Karnataka, on the other hand, is routinely delivering Rs. 2000 to 1.2 crore women. We are ensuring food security through the Anna Bhagya Scheme which the Centre opposed. Our Telangana Government has taken the burden of debt and misery away from lakhs of farmers. Three crore women of Karnataka have experienced newfound freedom due to the free bus travel guaranteed by the Shakti scheme."

The senior Congress leader added that unlike the "BJP's election gimmicks, ours is a welfare model that has stood the test of time since independence".

"Insincere, vengeful and non-performing leaders have no right to create doubt over our governance," he added.

Responding to PM Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah proposed holding a public debate on the BJP manifesto released before the 2024 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.