Narendra Modi's oratory cannot fill stomach of poor: Sonia Gandhi

PM Modi is “obsessed with Congress-free India” and his only accomplishment in the last four years is to have undone the good work of the previous Congress governments, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday.

Holding her first election rally in two years, Gandhi said all sections of society were facing problems, and questioned Modi on his “favorite promise” of ending corruption.

“Modi ji is proud that he can make speeches well. I agree he is a good orator. He speaks like an actor. If speeches could fill the country’s stomach, I wish he gave more speeches,” she said, taking a swipe at the prime minister.


Gandhi never campaigned in an election after she was suddenly taken ill during a road show in Varanasi ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Her election rally was seen as an attempt to give a cutting edge to the blitzkrieg launched by his son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi to retain power in Karnataka, the only major state their party rules apart from Punjab.

In her speech, Sonia Gandhi said: “Modi ji has junoon (passion) of Congress-mukt Bharat. He is obsessed with Congress-free India.” “Let alone Congress-mukt Bharat, he cannot tolerate (bardasht) anyone standing in front of him. The country is surprised that wherever he goes he speaks wrong. He distorts history, and for his political selfishness he uses our great freedom fighters as pawns on the chess board,” she said. “Which promise you made to people four years ago has been fulfilled? Tell what have you done for the country’s farmers? What has Modi ji done to provide employment to youth?”