RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Wednesday played an old speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Jharkhand’s Palamu to bolster his claim that “Pradhan Mantri jhut ka factory hai”.

Addressing back-to-back rallies at Chattarpur and Bhawnathpur (both in the Palamu Lok Sabha seat) in support of INDIA bloc-backed RJD candidate Mamata Bhuiyan, Tejashwi said: “Did you listen to the speech? Did you get Rs 15 lakh in your account? Has the black money come back to the country? In the last 10 years, the Prime Minister has not fulfilled even a single promise.”

“They shy away from real issues. There is no talk of inflation, unemployment, migration and poverty by the Prime Minister which has increased in the last 10 years. Our Prime Minister is a factory of lies... in fact, a manufacturer and wholesaler of lies,” Tejashwi added.

Bhuiyan, who is fighting her first Lok Sabha polls, is pitted against the BJP’s two-term MP and former state director-general of police V.D. Ram.

According to an RJD leader in Ranchi, Modi’s speech dated back to the 2014 general election campaign where he targeted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over inflation while promising to bring black money stashed overseas back to the country.

“We keep our promise. During my stint as Bihar deputy chief minister for 17 months I ensured jobs for five lakh youths and initiated a process for jobs to three lakhs more in Bihar. We will give one crore jobs to youths once we come to power at the Centre,” Tejashwi said.

He referred to the Congress manifesto, endorsed by the INDIA bloc, which speaks of providing Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women and reducing the price of LPG cylinders to ₹500.

Tejashwi accused Modi of meting out “step-motherly treatment to Jharkhand” and unleashing federal agencies to arrest former chief minister Hemant Soren.

“The political opponents are being sued. Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal were sent to jail by the ED and CBI. Many cases have been filed against me. I don’t fear the BJP. When Laluji was not afraid, How can I be afraid of jail? Our God was born in jail,” he said.

The rally was also addressed by Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahni.

Palamu goes to poll on May 13