The Congress on Sunday dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Amethi as a ‘flop’ and accused the BJP of misusing official machinery for political purposes.

While a note prepared by Amethi district administration on Saturday had claimed thePM would lay foundation stone or unveil projects worth Rs 11,856.47 crore, only projects worth Rs 538 crore were launched on Sunday.

The Congress said this proved that the BJP leaders were confused. “Most of the projects have merely been renamed. The BJP is desperate to take credit for initiatives taken during our tenure,” said Chandrakant Dubey, the Lok Sabha representative of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Congress leader Nadeem Ashraf 'Jaisi' said the Gandhis shared a familial bond with Amethi and this time the victory margin of the party chief would be bigger than before.

"It would be a bigger and better victory this time," he said while dismissing the BJP announcements as a mere 'publicity stunt.'

On Saturday, Congress leaders had alleged the local administration was busy whitewashing the walls around Modi’s rally venue at Kauhar in Amethi. They had claimed that the officials and BJP cadre washed clean the walls carrying slogans hailing local MP and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as ‘future PM.’

In adjacent Rae Bareli — the Lok Sabha constituency of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi — hoardings carrying the slogan ‘toot jayega danka, phuss ho jayegi Priyanka (the hype won’t last as Priyanka Gandhi’s bubble would burst)’ had come up, Congress leaders had said.

“The BJP’s dirty tricks department is behind it. It’s clear that the BJP is getting desperate now,” said Congress leader Piyush Mishra. The BJP had laughed away the charge.

First Published: Mar 04, 2019 10:20 IST