PM Modi doesn't speak truth: Manmohan Singh

Dispur (Assam): Former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday hit back at his successor Narendra Modi over his remark that the nation suffered because of 'backseat driving' and a 'remote control' government, saying the latter knows that he does not speak the truth. "I don't want to criticize the Prime Minister. He knows that what he says is not true," Dr. Singh told the media here after casting his vote in the second phase of the ongoing Assam Assembly polls. Expressing confidence of the Congress' comeback in Assam, Dr. Singh said the voters of the state will reward the grand old party for the good work which it has done for the people in the last 15 years. Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Modi had last week said the nation has suffered enough from 'backseat driving' and asked the people of Assam not to hand over the 'remote control' into anyone's hands. "The country has suffered enough from this backseat driving. Should Assam be allowed to be destroyed through this backseat driving? They are not interested in the country. Don't give the remote control into anyone's hands," he said while addressing a poll meeting in Raha town in Assam's Nagaon district. Prime Minister Modi also asked the people to elect a BJP-led government with absolute majority and defeat the forces which were spreading rumours to create political instability in Assam. The Prime Minister has repeatedly alleged that the former Congress-led UPA regime was being run by 'remote control' and that there were "two power centres" with Congress president Sonia Gandhi taking all important decisions. Meanwhile, brisk polling is underway for the final phase of assembly elections in Assam. Voting is being held in 61 constituencies covering the lower and central parts of the state in this phase. Around 55.28 percent polling has been reported till 1 p.m. A total of 525 candidates are in the fray in this phase. The Election Commission has set up 148 model polling stations in the second and final phase of Assam assembly polls.