Smriti Irani said in its 55-year-long rule, the Congress could not even provide toilets (File)

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing a rally at Arvi ahead of October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls. Mr Gandhi had held a rally here on Monday.

Campaigning for BJP candidate Dadarao Keche, Ms Irani said Mr Gandhi came and spoke only for 15 minutes, and even forgot to mention the name of the (Congress) candidate during his speech.

The Congress leader was misleading people about the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, she said, asserting that the Narendra Modi government at the centre had allocated enough funds for the scheme.

In its 55-year-long rule, the Congress could not even provide toilets to people, Ms Irani said.

"As a woman I feel proud that 12 crore toilets have been constructed so far (during the Modi government's rule), and in Maharashtra alone 60 lakh toilets have been built by (Devendra) Fadnavis government," she said.

Open defecation has now disappeared from the country, the Union minister said.

Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of helping 15 businessmen, but the Congress leader's brother-in-law was facing charges of corruption and land grabbing, Ms Irani said, referring to Robert Vadra.

She also questioned what the Congress government did after the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008.

After Pulwama terror attack, the Modi government gave a befitting reply by attacking terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan, she said.