BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Hardoi, UP
, who has amped up his attack on the Gandhis at recent rallies, today derided
Rahul Gandhi for his visits to poor Dalit families. He compared Mr Gandhi's house calls to those families - most of them in Uttar Pradesh - to tourists who photograph the Taj Mahal.
"People who haven't seen the Taj Mahal take photos and share it with their friends and relatives. Similarly, Rahul
bhaiya checks out poverty, gets photos taken with a poor child in his lap. When the cameras stop rolling, he dumps the child," he said.
Mr Modi, who is headlining the BJP's campaign for the national election, once again contrasted his simple background with that of Mr Gandhi's, who he has sarcastically christened "shahzaada" or "young prince".
"People born with a golden spoon in their mouth don't know what poverty it. I understand it because I was born into it," he said at a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh.
(More from his speech here)Mr Modi, 64, is the frontrunner for India's next prime minister. Under his leadership, the BJP is heading towards a majority, according to NDTV's latest opinion poll.
(India Votes 2014: full coverage)The Congress, beleaguered by a string of corruption scandals, a slow economy, and anti-incumbency stemming from its 10 years in power, is expected to show one of its biggest defeats ever.
Mr Modi has been targeting the Congress as a dynastic party whose front-liner, Rahul has little more to offer than his famous last name. He has been daring Mr Gandhi to explain the controversial land deals accrued by his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra, who allegedly made windfall gains by sweetheart deals struck in Haryana, which is governed by the Congress.
(Heard about 2G, now we hear about jijaji: Modi on Vadra)