Bringing pre-Independence era history into Karnataka Assembly polls debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday questioned the Congress party if its leaders ever met freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt in jail like they now meet "corrupts who have been jailed."

Speaking at a public rally in Karnataka's Bidar, the Prime Minister asked, "When Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Batukeshwar Dutt, Veer Savarkar, greats like them were jailed fighting for the country's independence, did any Congress leader go to meet them?"

"But the Congress leaders go and meet the corrupts who have been jailed," Modi said.

While Modi did not take any names, he was possibly referring to Rahul Gandhi's meeting witrh RJD chief Lalu Prasada Yadav who is serving a jail sentnce after his conviction in fodder scam. Rahul had met Lalu late last month at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where the former Bihar Chief Minister was undergoing treatment for various ailments.

The Congress soon shot back with an advise to the Prime Minister.

"Dear Narendra Modi, Congress leaders' visits and support to revolutionaries are as amply documented as the treachery of your ideological predecessors is. Their lawyer was a Congressman," Congress said in a tweet.

"We never visited jailed corrupt Yeddyurappa or the Reddy brothers," it said.

"Read before you rant!" the tweet on Congress party's official Twitter handle said.

Dear @narendramodi, 1. Congress leaders' visits & support to revolutionaries are as amply documented as the treachery of your ideological predecessors is. Their lawyer was a Congressman 2. We never visited jailed corrupt Yeddyurappa or the Reddy brothers 3. Read before you rant! pic.twitter.com/aq88P1rtoD — Congress (@INCIndia) May 9, 2018

Modi also mocked Rahul Gandhi after the latter publicly declared his prime ministerial ambition, saying that the newly-elected Congress president thinks that the PM's seat is reserved for just one dynasty.

"The newly elected Congress president has pre-announced that he will become the prime minister of the country in 2019. They think that the prime minister's seat is reserved for just one dynasty," Modi said.

As the campaigning for May 12 assembly elections in Karnataka eneterdd the last leg, top leaders of different political parties are making their last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.

PM Modi addressed four rallies in the state today.