Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for demanding a strong law like POTA to deal with terrorists.

Addressing a press conference in Jhalandar on Wednesday, the Congress general secretary said there was no need to have a law that failed to deliver during the National Democratic Alliance tenure.

Rahul, who is on a road show in Punjab, said the membership of the party was open to everyone.

"POTA is a failed law. Kandahar happened when POTA was there. You don't need a law like POTA to counter terrorism. Our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has done this without compromising the security of the nation," he said.

His three-day visit ends on Wednesday. He started his trip from Amritsar, then went to Bhatinda and to Jhalandar.

Rahul showered praise on Manmohan Singh for his handling of the nuclear and economic issues saying he had "full faith" in him.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ji has made India proud," he said.

"I have full faith in him....I will back him anywhere, anytime on this," the Congress general secretary said, referring to Singh's handling of economy and the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Asked about the economic problems, he said, "You are creating a doomsday situation. The kind of impact the world economy had recently did not affect India. Inflation is also coming down and will come down.... India is growing at one of the fastest rates along with China."

Referring to the nuclear waiver, he said the BJP was not able to get a good deal.

"We are the only country for whom an exception has been made," he said, crediting the Prime Minister for achieving the breakthrough.

The public praise by the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family came amid speculation whether Singh will be projected as the prime ministerial candidate for the next Lok Sabha elections. The Congress said Rahul "hundred per cent fits the bill" for the post.

BJP disputes Rahul's claim

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that those who are acting as the advisors of Congress General secretary Rahul Gandhi should brief him properly.

"Rahul has not been properly briefed. There was no POTA when Kandahar hijacking took place. It came later on," Prasad said.

With PTI inputs