Alleging that the Congress governments at the Centre since independence were synonymous with "misrule, corrupt practices, nepotism and family politics", Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the INDIA bloc has "failed to integrate" the opposition parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

In an interview with PTI, Sonowal, the minister for ports, shipping, waterways and ayush, asserted that the BJP-led NDA's aim of winning over 400 Lok Sabha seats is "practically feasible with positive work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

During his 10-year tenure, PM Modi has implemented a range of developmental programmes for every section of society, such as farmers, students, tea garden workers, women, old-aged people and divyangs, with quality and also within a specific time frame, he said.

"Because of that, people got empowered, motivated and charged up. Such a situation did not exist before though the Congress had been in power for 60 years. Because of its misrule, corrupt practices, nepotism and family politics, people were deprived of their due rights," Sonowal said.

The successive Congress governments at the Centre since the country's independence only made the slogan 'Garibi Hatao' (eliminate poverty) but did not take up any scheme as a follow-up action or implement it, he claimed.

"That is why people have identified them as betrayers. Citizens of the country have identified PM Modi as their well-wisher, who firmly believes that India can be strengthened and taken on the path of development to make it self-reliant and by 2047, India becomes a developed nation in the world," Sonowal said.

Continuing his tirade against the grand old party, the union minister claimed that the Congress made the country "poor and miserable", and because of its "policy paralysis, the party could not do anything for the cause of the people".

"The Congress could not even protect the national security and sovereignty. After Modi abrogated Article 370, the whole nation felt well-guarded and well-protected. Now, India is fully secured under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi," he said.

Sonowal asserted that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be fought mainly on two specific parameters -- speed and scale of the economic growth process and the developmental journey.

Asked about the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), the Rajya Sabha MP said, "They are all disintegrated. The Congress has failed to integrate the opposition parties. One can see their condition in every state." Referring to the Mumbai rally on the last day of the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', where several opposition leaders assembled, he said that such kind of "photographic demonstration" cannot bring changes, because people have "identified their character".

"They simply made louder commitments during 60 years of their misrule and bad governance. On the other hand, whatever PM Modi has promised to the nation has been fulfilled. He made the commitments to be honoured, not to be forgotten. The Congress made so many promises during their rule, but they never honoured those," Sonowal said.

The people of India have "rejected" the Congress and its partners, while accepting the BJP and its allies with "heart, faith and trust", he claimed.

Asked whether the BJP-led NDA's target of winning at least 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls is practically feasible or not, Sonowal said, "Yes, it's practically possible. Last time, the tally was 303 for BJP only and that was never expected earlier. It was because of PM Modi's performance, his visionary leadership and good governance." With the "remarkable and unprecedented success" story created in the last 10 years of the BJP-led NDA rule, every citizen has "full confidence" in Modi's leadership and the whole nation wants him to become the PM for the third term so that "India can become the third biggest economy in the world by 2028", he claimed.

"At the global stage, India was able to create a dignified position, even among the top developed nations. Nowadays, they attach importance to the statements of PM Modi and India's stand on global crisis or situation. He is the most credible and popular leader in the world," Sonowal said.

He claimed that people have categorically expressed their "highest level of satisfaction" because of Modi and his good governance as the NDA government has done "exceptionally well in different parameters such as social security, justice, economic upliftment and life with dignity".

"The growth of development and a positive environment have been created by Modi. The corrective policies and programmes, and his firm decision to restore peace in Assam and the northeast have led to progress in the region.

"People are expecting prosperity to grow further in the near future. A huge interest is generating in the minds of voters and they are waiting for the day to cast their votes," said Sonowal, who is contesting from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency in Assam.

The BJP has nine MPs, out of 14 from the state in the outgoing Lok Sabha, while its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) have no representation.

The opposition Congress holds three seats and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) one, while another is an Independent MP.

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