Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed surprise at what he felt was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gumption in building an election campaign based on "Modi’s guarantee" despite his alleged failure to fulfil most of his past promises.

"You must have seen full-page advertisements screaming ‘Modi’s guarantee’. What’s Modi’s guarantee? Modi promised two crore jobs every year; has that been delivered? He promised to bring back black money and distribute (shares of) Rs 15 lakh to everybody. Has that been done?" Kharge told a party workers' convention in Hyderabad.

He said Modi had made several such unfulfilled promises, including bringing down prices.

"The high prices are tormenting people. Don’t fall into his trap. Democracy will be destroyed if he is not removed. He promises to strengthen democracy while MPs are suspended from Parliament for raising people’s concerns," the Congress president said.

Kharge accused Modi of using religiosity to mislead the people.

He said the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had described industries and dams as modern-day temples and that to him, pilgrimage meant ensuring a bright future for future generations. However, Kharge rued, Modi was wandering around temples and seashores instead of solving the people’s problems.

"He won’t go to Manipur where the lives of thousands of families have been destroyed," Kharge added.

This was the first of a series of workers’ conventions that Kharge is to address to prepare the Congress machinery for the general election, at a time Rahul Gandhi is occupied with the Nyay Yatra.

In Hyderabad on Thursday, he said the Opposition grouping INDIA would fight the BJP with all its might even if cracks seem to be developing in Bengal and Bihar.

He made it clear that Modi's failings would remain the main focus, apart from the Nyay infrastructure the party has been working on relating to issues of the youth, women, farmers, workers and equal participation.

"Modi was elected to solve problems, not to worship in temples and whip up religious passions. He destroyed the careers of youths by introducing schemes such as Agniveer (for temporary military recruitment)," he said.

"Where will the youths go after retiring (from the military services) in four years? He (Modi) is engaged in personal publicity and electioneering at public expense. The nation’s debt jumped from Rs 55 lakh crore to Rs 155 lakh crore — is this development?"

Kharge appeared worried about the religious frenzy Modi has succeeded in generating over the Ram temple. He repeatedly said that religion was a private affair but Modi was linking it to politics.

Responding to Modi's claim of taking "the youth out of the darkness that had faced them", Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said: "Really, Mr Prime Minister?! The reality is that the 10 years since 2014 have seen the maximum ANYAY against the youth of India. One out of every three youths has completely given up on their future as they do not have jobs, are not employed, and are not in training. This number is over 50 per cent for young women."