Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of doing "great favour" to Pakistan and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar by fielding Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur for the Bhopal parliamentary constituency.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done great favour to Pakistan and JeM chief Masood Azhar by fielding Pragya Thakur, a terror accused, from Bhopal.

"On one hand you are trying to build pressure on Pakistan and seeking international support to take action against Azhar and on the other hand you are fielding a terror accused in the parliamentary elections," Tewari said, after a roadshow here.

The former union minister is the Congress' candidate for Anandpur Sahib seat.

"For petty partisan reasons, the PM has done great disservice to the nation. That is why these elections are important as otherwise the very foundations of our secular and democratic nation will be threatened," he alleged.

The Congress leader said Punjab had always defied sectarian and divisive forces.

"That is the reason we are confident of winning 13 out of 13 seats in Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh," he said, asserting that the elections were a fight between "secularism and communalism".

The Congress candidate took a dig at the incumbent Anandpur Sahib MP SAD's Prem Singh Chandumajra over his "non-performance". Tewari challenged Chandumajra to name a single project he had brought to his constituency from the BJP-led central government.

Chandumajra is SAD's candidate for the Anandpur Sahib.

By diverting MPLAD funds meant for Anandpur Sahib to Sanaur assembly segment, represented by Chandumajra's son Harinderpal Singh, the MP has shown where his priorities lie, he alleged.

Tewari dismissed reports of factionalism in the Congress, pointing out that the entire rank and file of the party was on the road campaigning.

"They are fighting these elections as their own and their enthusiasm has to be seen to be believed," he said.

Tewari said he had completed the first phase of his campaign by visiting all the nine assembly segments here.

He said thanked the people for the "unprecedented love and support" showered on him and the Congress party.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)