Shimla, Oct 28 (PTI): A day after getting his party’s backing, Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Saturday made a scathing attack on the Congress on corruption, bad governance and unemployment.

Addressing election rallies at Reckong Peo in tribal Kinnaur district and Chopal in interior Shimla, Mr. Gadkari, who is facing allegations of dubious funding of his companies, said: “The Congress ruled the country for the longest time, except for brief period of eight years and poverty, unemployment, corruption and lack of infrastructure are their gifts to the people.”

Mr. Gadkari flew into Himachal Pradesh on Saturday morning to campaign for the November 4 Assembly elections.

He said that instead of helping people, the Congress had benefited big leaders and corporate houses while doing nothing to ameliorate the conditions of the poor, checking unemployment and curbing price rise.

Comparing the rule of the National Democratic Alliance and the United Progressive Alliance, he said prices were stable, the rupee was strong and steps were taken to strengthen the basic infrastructure during the NDA regime. The UPA government had failed on all fronts and did nothing for the overall development of the country.

“Farmers are committing suicide, the common man is reeling under rising prices and unemployment is on the rise. But the government has failed miserably to solve these problems,” he added.