The Congress spends most of its time infighting, tells lies to grab power and remains distant from public issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Thursday while asserting the people have decided to give another chance to the BJP to serve Haryana.

Interacting with Haryana BJP workers through the NaMo app as part of the party’s “Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot” programme, he discussed fieldwork at the booth level for the October five assembly polls and told them to make utmost effort to win each booth.

“A week remains for polling (in Haryana) and (you should) focus on every family in a polling booth,” he told party workers. There are 20,629 polling booths in Haryana.

Modi began his nearly hour-long interaction by mentioning his special connection with the people of Haryana, where he extensively worked for the party organisation in the 1990s, and expressed his gratitude to them.

Alleging the Congress has failed as an opposition in the past 10 years, the prime minister claimed its maximum time goes into infighting. Every child in Haryana is aware of the grand old party’s internal strife, he said.

These days, the Congress’ loudspeakers that were earlier making big claims have fallen weak, Modi said. “Some are saying the Congress is becoming weak each day. During the past 10 years, the Congress has failed as opposition too.”

“The party remained far from people’s issues for 10 years... Such people can never win the trust of the people of Haryana,” he said.

“But our strategy should not be to sit pretty on their internal strife. They are going to die their death, but we have to plant our flag deep by working harder than before,” Modi said.

Attacking the Congress further, he said, “The entire basis of those who are fighting against us in the polls is lies. They repeatedly tell lies, their talks have no head and tail and they vitiate the atmosphere.”

Modi claimed the Congress made tall promises to the people of Himachal Pradesh like they would “lay roof made of gold for every house”.

But after coming to power in the state, development came to a standstill, the prime minister alleged, adding they talked of the old pension scheme but were now unable to pay salaries or carry out recruitments. The Congress had promised to give Rs 1,500 to women who are waiting for it even after two years, he said.

Himachal Pradesh is an example of how they told lies to win elections and the people of Haryana need to be informed about it, the prime minister said at the interaction.

He alleged the Congress were experts in lying but wear the mask of “Raja Harishchandra”. You will have to go door-to-door to expose them, Modi told the BJP workers.

One cannot imagine how many atrocities were committed against the Dalits during the Congress rule in Haryana, he said and asked the party workers to expose such incidents publicly.

“Haryana has for the first time got an OBC chief minister. They never made a chief minister from the backward classes. But the Congress will never say this,” Modi said.

He alleged the Congress was not able to accept that Modi and Nayab Singh Saini, both of who come from backward classes, became prime minister and Haryana’s chief minister, respectively.

Recounting the BJP government’s initiatives for farmers, the prime minister alleged that during the Congress rule in Haryana, the farmers got Rs 2 compensation cheques for crop damage.

It is the BJP government in Haryana which has been giving minimum support price on 24 crops, he said, adding the farmers should seek clarification from the Congress for their lies on the issue and tell them how much crops were being procured at MSP. Accusing the Congress of indulging in a scam with funds for Dalits’ welfare in Karnataka, Modi alleged the party did not fulfil even a single promise in states where it is in power, be it Karnataka or Telangana.

Now they are talking big in Haryana, he said, adding, “Spreading rumours and telling lies is in their blood”.  The Congress people live only for their family and that is their character, he said in response to a Haryana BJP worker’s feedback during the interaction.

“I have full belief that the BJP is forming the government with a big mandate. One voice is heard from every home ‘Bharosa Dil Se, Bajpa Phir Se’.” We have to put all our might to win the polling booth. You have to break all records of voting,” he said.

Referring to the Haryana BJP’s “Mahra Haryana-Non-Stop Haryana” campaign, Modi said it has been inspired by mothers and sisters from the state.