The Congress on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is “rattled” by its guarantees and is making “baseless” statements against it in desperation to “save his chair”.

 The opposition party’s reaction came as Prime Minister Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress, charging that its poll manifesto bore the imprint of the Muslim League and utterances of its leaders showed hostility towards national integrity and Sanatan Dharma.

 Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The people of India are now tired of the Prime Minister’s lies. After June 4, he will have to go on long leave. This is the guarantee of the people of India!”

 The counting of votes in Lok Sabha elections is on June 4. Ramesh said the Congress’ ‘Paanch Nyay Pachees Guarantee’ is awakening a new hope among the people of India after 10 years of “injustice”.

 The Congress’ guarantees are the need of the hour and this is the voice of the suffering people of the country, he said in a post in Hindi on X.

 “Rattled by this guarantee card, the Prime Minister is saying baseless things in his desperation to save his chair,” Ramesh said

 Addressing a rally in Nawada district on Sunday, his second in Bihar in 72 hours, Modi also recounted the ‘jungle raj’ that prevailed when the state was ruled by the Congress-RJD combine, showering praises on his ally Nitish Kumar and ailing BJP colleague Sushil Kumar Modi for turning things around as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively.

 “The manifesto that the Congress has released bears the imprint of the Muslim League. It has not released a poll manifesto but a declaration of appeasement (tushtikaran patra),” alleged Modi.