New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS): Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reducing the power generation capacity of government-owned power firms between 2012-16, while buying electricity from private players at a much higher rate.

Keeping up at his 22 questions in the countdown to the Gujarat Assembly polls, as promised, Gandhi said: "22 salon ka hisaab, Gujarat mange jawaab. Gujarat ke haalat par Pradhanmantri Narendra Modi se tisra sawal (as he directed his third query at Modi on Gujarat's condition).

"Between 2012-16, why did you fill the pockets of four private companies by buying electricity worth Rs 62,549 crore?

"You reduced the capacity of government-owned power companies by 62 per cent and then bought electricity from the private companies for Rs 24 which was available for Rs 3?

"Why did you waste people's hard-earned money," he asked.

Gandhi's question comes in the wake of the party's strategy to pose one question to Modi everyday till the polls kick off in Gujarat.

On Thursday, Gandhi hit out at the Prime Minister for Gujarat's rising debt of "Rs 2,41,000 crore", which he said was due to Modi's "mismanagement and publicity". He asked why the people of the state should be punished for it.

On Wednesday, the Congress scion asked about Modi's 2012 promise of providing 50 lakh new homes to the people of the state.

Gujarat has been under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-rule for over two decades.

Polling for the 182-member Gujarat assembly will be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will take place on December 18.