Cong Insulted President Murmu After Ram Temple Visit: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said leaders of the alliance are planning to merge small parties post the Lok Sabha polls to attain opposition status.

Chatra (Jharkhand):Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flayed the opposition INDIA bloc for "insulting" President Droupadi Murmu after her visit to Ayodhya's Ram temple, and asserted that the Congress will get fewer seats than the age of its shehzada'. Addressing a poll rally at Chatra, Modi also said leaders of the alliance are planning to merge small parties post the Lok Sabha polls to attain opposition status.

"Congress will get fewer seats than the age of its 'shehzada'," the PM said, in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, and added that the bloc has already accepted defeat. The mentality of the Congress is of the 18th century... after the President paid obeisance at the Ram temple, they talked about cleaning the temple... they insulted the President, Modi said.

He also asserted that NDA governments will be formed in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh where simultaneous assembly polls were underway. We worship tribals, but the JMM and Congress are not able to digest the respect shown to them," he said and urged people to vote for the BJP to oust such forces.

The prime minister also alleged that the INDIA bloc has plans to hand over the country's assets to Muslims, and the OBC/SC/ST reservations to the coalition's "vote bank".