Surprised to see PM Narendra Modi government's credibility "erode quickly": Rahul Gandhi

MUMBAI: Rahul Gandhi today took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming the credibility of his government has "eroded" and said he was surprised how this happened "very quickly".

"It takes two-three-four years for the credibility of a government to decline but I am surprised the BJP government's credibility has eroded very quickly," the Congress vice-president said, addressing a rally of party workers in suburban Malad in North Mumbai. The Modi government assumed office on May 26, 2014.

At the rally, Rahul inducted late singer Mohammad Rafi's son Shahed Rafi into Congress.

The Congress leader also questioned Modi's silence on problems being faced by the poor. "It is all well to give speeches but Modi is silent on problems faced by the poor".

Rahul, who is on a two-day visit to Mumbai, also asked partymen to shun internal differences and work unitedly to ensure that Congress comes back to power.

He used the Marathi greeting on Makar Sankranti "Til gul ghya, god god bola" (eat sweets, speak cordially) to appeal to the Congress leaders to put an end to factionalism.

Ask anyone about the situation faced by farmers, he said, adding they will cry while narrating their plight. "You can't leave the poor people, the hawkers behind".

"There is talk of 'start-ups and connect India'. All this is nice but there are poor people, domestic workers. India is theirs also. The government has forgotten them, he said," he said.

Rahul said Modi spoke of 'Clean India' and he and his ministers took up 'jhadus' and cleaned the roads but in Mumbai, there are tonnes of solid waste, he said. "You won't be able to clean Mumbai by speeches and staging events," he added.

In Uttar Pradesh, many people have demolished toilets built under the Clean India Mission, he said.

The budget of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is in thousands of crore but this government gave just Rs 100 crore to make Mumbai a Smart City, Rahul said.

"When we were in power, we gave a city like Nanded Rs 2,000 crore," he said. Congress will have to get its candidate elected to the post of Mayor in Mumbai if the city is to be developed, he said.

"First we will win Mumbai then the state, and then form government at the Centre," he added.

Rahul said during his padyatra in Mumbai tomorrow "we will put pressure on the government on the issue of electricity tariff for the poor".