Karnataka polls: Congress launches 'CryPMPayCM' campaign to ridicule PM Modi

A day after Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra taunted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'crying' in public, the Congress has launched the "CryPMpayCM" campaign in the poll-bound state.

Soon after Priyanka's comments on PM Modi, the hashtag #CryPMPayCM started trending on Twitter with several Congress leaders using it.

"The PM's speeches these days remind me of my Facebook feed - full of complaints and no substantial content. Time for a status update? #CryPMPayCM," Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee tweeted.

Similar to the "PayCM" campaign against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the Karnataka Congress come up with a "CryPM" poster bearing a QR with the photograph of the prime minister.

Addressing a public rally in Bagalkote district, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, referred to PM Modi's remarks about verbal abuse, saying one has to take such attacks in their stride in public life and asked him to learn from Rahul Gandhi, who "is ready to take a bullet for the sake of the country".

"At least they (91 abuses) are fitting on one page; if you look at the abuses by them to my family and if we start making a list, we will publish books after books about it." "It is strange what I'm seeing for the past two-three days. I have seen many prime ministers -- Indira Ji (Indira Gandhi), she took bullets for this country. I have seen Rajiv Gandhi. He sacrificed his life for this country. I have seen P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh working hard for this country," she said.

"But he (Modi) is the first prime minister I have seen who comes before you and cries that he is being abused. Instead of listening to your grief, he is coming here and telling you his (problems)."

Slamming the prime minister, she said someone in his office had made a list not about the problems of the people, but who had abused him multiple times.

"Have courage Modi ji. Learn from my brother Rahul Gandhi. My brother says he is ready to take a bullet for the sake of this country, not just abuse. My brother says he will stand for truth, whether you abuse, shoot a bullet or stab with a knife," Priyanka Vadra said.

with PTI inputs