Riding a cycle, Rahul Gandhi compares PM Modi to a 'mobile phone without work mode'

Bengaluru: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday ditched his high-security SUVs and choppers for a cycle as he campaigned in Karnataka's Kolar ahead of the assembly elections here scheduled for May 12. Despite a much slower mode of transportation, there was no let up in his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi whom Rahul Gandhi termed as a 'mobile phone without work mode.'

War of words between leaders of both Congress and BJP have increased in intensity with each passing day leading up to May 12. On Monday, Rahul stepped up the attack a notch by questioning the work done by PM Modi since BJP's win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "There are three modes in a mobile phone - work mode, speaker mode and airplane mode. Modi Ji only uses speaker mode and airplane mode. He never uses work mode," he told members of the press in what was a veiled attack on PM Modi's speeches and his diplomatic travels abroad.

#WATCH Congress President Rahul Gandhi campaigns on a bicycle in Karnataka's Kolar. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/8ayz4hN0Cm — ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2018

This is not the first time Rahul or his party leaders have questioned PM Modi's work. He has previously accused PM Modi of re-packaging Congress' work and taking credit for it, of remaining silent on critical issues concerning the country and the common man, and of encouraging 'corrupt' politicians by giving them electoral tickets. These are only a handful of a long line of allegations levelled by Congress against PM Modi and the BJP.

Not that the BJP has taken everything lightly.

PM Modi and BJP presdent Amit Shah have targeted Rahul an equal number of times with the former even claiming that Rahul won't be able to speak for 15 minutes without looking at his speech paper on Congress' development-related work in Karnataka.

The two parties and its leaders have traded barbs which have become more stinging because of what is at stake in the near future. Congress does not want to lose Karnataka - one of very few states it still has any sway in. The BJP, on the other hand, wants to build momentum ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections and a win in Karnataka could also give the party a footing in south India.