Congress president Rahul Gandhi who arrived in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram on Monday evening kickstarted his election campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state with four public rallies and a visit to the residence of late Congress leader KM Mani.

At his rallies in Kollam and Pathanamthitta, Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the PM has “failed” to fulfil the promises made during the past five years.

“The promises Modi made to you, he has not fulfilled, but Anil Ambani gets Rs 30,000 crore in Rafale deal. The Prime Minister is speaking of nationalism and he gave the biggest defence deal to a person who has not made a single aircraft,” he said an election rally at the St. Stephen college grounds in Kollam district.

Urging the people of Kerala to vote for the Congress, Gandhi said if his party comes to power, it will not hike the income tax rates to fund the minimum income guarantee scheme ‘NYAY’.

“Mr Narendra Modi says that the money for the NYAY scheme is going to come from the middle class. But I want to make it clear to the middle class of Kerala and the country, you are the engine of India’s growth. We are not going to take a single rupee from the pocket of the middle class. The income taxes will not be raised at all,” he said.

“Mr Narendra Modi gave Rs 35,000 to Nirav Modi, Rs 35,000 to Mehul Choksi, Rs 30,000 to Anil Ambani, to Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi…These are the people who are going to pay for NYAY,” he further said.

Rahul Gandhi had last month announced a Minimum Income Guarantee scheme called Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) under which 25 crore poor people (5 crore families) in the country will get financial assistance of Rs 72,000 per annum if his party is voted to power at the Centre.

Rahul Gandhi said the scheme will supplement the income of those earning Rs 12,000 per month.

“In the last five years, our Prime Minister promised several things. Two crore job opportunities. Rs 15 lakh deposits in bank accounts and price support for farmers,” Gandhi said.

He further asked how many of the citizens received the money that they were promised.

Rahul Gandhi also visited the residence and family of departed Congress leader KM Mani.

Congress President @RahulGandhi visits the home & family of the Late Shri. K. M. Mani while in Kerala. #VaravayiRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/C4bilhzaFp — Congress (@INCIndia) April 16, 2019

Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Kerala. The Congress chief who is contesting from Wayanad district as a second constituency besides the party stronghold of Amethi will be addressing meetings in his constituency on Wednesday.

Kerala which has 20 Lok Sabha seats will go to polls during the 3rd phase of elections on April 23.