Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday alleged that the Congress, during their rule, used to treat the poor only as votebank whereas the Narendra Modi government initiated several schemes for their benefit and brought smiles on the faces of the poor.

The Congress only exploited the poor. They gave the slogan of 'garibi hatao' but took no steps towards poverty alleviation, he said.

"The Congress only gave lollipop to the poor. They failed to do anything for their development, for their interests, despite being in power for a long time," Saini told reporters here after a meeting with BJP national vice president Saudan Singh.

"As against this, during the past 10 years, Modi has brought smiles on the faces of the poor," said Saini.

He also said more than 25 crore Indians have been pulled out from poverty during the Modi government's time.

So many schemes have been started for the poor by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre which the Congress cannot digest. Their problem is why Modi is so concerned about the welfare of the poor, he said.

Saini targeted the opposition over their claims that the ruling BJP may change their Lok Sabha candidates on a few seats in Haryana and said they were speaking lies. The opposition is feeling jittery, he said.

"They have been unable to field their candidates and now they are coming out with this propaganda and speaking lies. They want to divert public attention," Saini said.

When BJP Hisar Lok Sabha candidate Ranjit Singh Chautala was asked there are speculations that the party could change him from the seat, he said some people deliberately spread such rumours.

Ranjit Chautala told reporters in Hisar on Thursday that as long as the elections last, such rumours will be spread by some people.

Notably, while the BJP has already announced its candidates for all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the main opposition Congress is yet to announce candidates for the nine seats it is contesting.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), part of the INDIA bloc, is fighting the Kurukshetra seat and has named the party's state unit chief, Sushil Gupta, as its candidate.

Later addressing a poll rally in Fatehabad's Ratia falling under the Sirsa parliamentary constituency, Saini said trust of every section has increased in Prime Minister Modi and this is why the people want to bring him back as the prime minister with a big mandate.

Saini said the works done by the "double engine" government has benefitted the poor and other sections.

Modi has delivered what he had promised, he said.

Under Modi's leadership, several schemes have been initiated for various sections, said Saini.

He also spelled out several steps taken towards the welfare of the farmers.

"Our government is pro-farmer and has protected their interests," he said.

The chief minister said the Haryana government procures 14 crops at the minimum support price (MSP).

The Congress earlier spread falsehood that the MSP will be discontinued, he said.

The country is marching ahead on the path of progress, and the vision of a developed nation by 2047 will be realised, he said.

He appealed to the people to elect BJP candidate from Sirsa, Ashok Tanwar, with a big mandate.

The polling for all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in the sixth phase of general elections on May 25.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.