The BJP on Thursday seized India’s improved showing in the World Bank’s ease-of-doing-business ranking to claim the arrival of the promised “achchhe din” (good days) in the economy, attributing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley penned a blog praising Modi and accusing the former UPA government of a policy paralysis. “Having inherited the legacy of position No. 142, we moved up… This is a 65-point improvement in the first four years. We are still 27 positions away from the target. The impossible now looks plausible,” he wrote.

India has jumped 23 places to 77 among 190 nations. Jaitley said Modi had in 2014 announced the government’s objective of bringing India among the first 50 nations.

Spokesperson Sambit Patra lauded Modi’s leadership and slammed Rahul Gandhi. “We thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ‘reform, perform and transform’ agenda that has been brought under his leadership.… ‘Achchhe din’ have arrived in the country’s economy through ease of doing business.”

Modi had promised ‘achchhe din’ during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll campaign but the BJP has of late been increasingly reluctant to clarify whether the “good days” had indeed arrived for the people.

Patra also attacked Rahul Gandhi, projecting Modi as a leader with “clarity” and the Congress president as “confused”.

“Ease of business means ease of governance. It’s clarity versus confusion. India needs a leader with clarity like Narendra Modi and not a self-proclaimed confused leader like Rahul Gandhi,” Patra said.

He said that while Modi’s rule is known for the ease of doing business, the Congress’ period was known for the “ease of doing corruption”.

He said that from the “fragile five (economies)” during the UPA’s tenure, the country had joined the club of the “fabulous few” because of Modi’s hard work and determination.

Patra cited the reports of infighting in the Madhya Pradesh Congress over ticket distribution and said there was “unease of administration” in the Congress under Rahul and the people of India cannot trust his leadership.

“Under the confused leadership of Rahul, the Congress will lose all the state elections and also the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the people of the country want a decisive leader and a leader with clarity.”