Tumakuru, May 5 (Deccan Chronicle): With just a week left for the Karnataka Assembly elections, the BJP has intensified its campaign across the poll bound state. On the third day of campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said Congress failed to transform lives of poor in India. He said for years, Congress spoke of poverty over and over again but is mum about it ever since the son of a poor mother became the Prime Minister.

"For years, Congress kept saying 'Gareeb, Gareeb, Gareeb.' However, nothing came out of this rhetoric. They failed to transform lives of poor in India. Now, they've stopped saying 'Gareeb' (poor) as people have elected a person from poor family as Prime Minister," the Prime Minister said in an election campaign in Tumakuru.

Terming Congress as party of lies, PM Modi said, "From Indira Gandhi's time, Congress has only fooled poor people of society to win elections. They are a party of lies, they lie time and again for votes. They do not care about farmers nor are they concerned about poor. People are now tired of Congress."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Congress needs to be punished for Karnataka's better."

Addressing the mammoth crowd, the PM said that the Congress neglected farmers in the last seven decades.

"Farmers' plight today is because of Congress' policies, we are trying to wash away their sins," PM Modi said.

Accusing the Congress of politicising the farmers' deaths, PM Modi said, "The Congress is trying to offer false rhetoric and empty promises to the farmers. The Congress' neglect of the agriculture sector is very well known. I wish they were serious about the welfare of the farmers."

The Prime Minister further said that the Congress and the JD(S) have understanding behind the curtains. He said, "People of Karnataka need to know the tacit alliance between Congress and JD(S). They pretend to fight but in Bengaluru, the JD(S) supported a Congress mayor."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Congress is only interested in filling their safe with black money. "Why've people of Tumakuru not got water from Hemavati river as yet? Our Govt has worked on irrigation projects on which no work was done for 30 years. Cong is only interested in filling their safes with black money," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister added, "I have initiated a full-fledged battle against corruption and black money. There is no way we can tolerate corrupt practices."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address three more rallies on Saturday - Gadag, Shivamogga and Mangaluru.