Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday came under sharp attack from Congress leaders including Mani Shankar Aiyer who compared him with demon king Ravana and also called him asatya ka saudagar (merchant of falsehood).
"Modi has engaged a world renowned PR agency and is paying a hefty sum to it to build his image at the cost of tax payers of the state. That is the reason this image of lohpurush (iron man). What lohpurush, he is just a pani purush (man like water)," Aiyer said at a meeting in Porbander.
Amid reports in a section of media that Modi would not be fighting the assembly elections from Maninagar constituency this time, Aiyer said, "Why is he not fighting from Maninagar constituency this time?"
Aiyer said it is time to end the rule of Ravana in the state and asked the people to celebrate the 'real Diwali' on December 20 (counting day).
Aiyer also termed Modi as asatya ka saudagar (merchant of falsehood), accusing him of giving people wrong information about Gujarat.
Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Hussain Dalwai, speaking at a rally in Palanpur in north Gujarat, said, "Modi is just a mouse before Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel".
At the same meeting, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said Congress would provide an honest and young chief minister if the party comes to power in the state.
All India Congress Committee general secretary and MP Oscar Fernandez, speaking at a function in Bajipura in Tapi district of South Gujarat, said, "Two Gandhis are famous in the country. One is Mahatma Gandhi and the other is Rahul Gandhi. Like Mahatma Gandhi who had toured the country before taking up his fight for independence, Rahul Gandhi is also going to the houses of the poor and Dalits, spending nights there and eating with them".
Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary and Minister of Minority Affairs K Rehman Khan also addressed two separate meetings.
The party will be holding ten more rallies in different parts of the state on Sunday as well.