Congress president Rahul Gandhi today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “flummoxed as the BJP is heading for defeat” and dared him for a debate on corruption, saying after that he will “not be able to face the public.”

He also accused the prime minister of “failing” to keep his 2014 pre-poll promises, including providing jobs to 2 crore youth, remunerative prices for farmers’ produce and Rs 15 lakh into the bank accounts of every citizen.

“Modi is flummoxed as he can gauge that BJP is heading for a defeat in the polls. He is tense and is speaking improperly,” Mr Gandhi said at a poll rally, his first in Chandigarh after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.

As a dust storm hit the area where Mr Gandhi was holding the rally in favour of party nominee Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Congress president told the gathering, “This is the dress rehearsal for May 23 (the day poll results will be declared) as another storm will come that day wiping out the BJP.”

Mr Bansal has been pitted against sitting BJP MP Kirron Kher in the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat where polling will be held on May 19.

“He (Modi) says a lot of things about me, my father and my family in general. But I don’t mind. In fact, I would say Narendra Modiji, the more you hate me, the more I will love you, because I belong to Mother India and it’s only love that is in my heart,” he said.

He said PM Modi had told people ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that he would fight corruption and dared him for a debate on the issue as he launched a counter-offensive on the prime minister who has been raking up alleged graft during the previous Congress regime.

“I am prepared for a debate. Call me anywhere… let me speak for 15 minutes. I guarantee that after the debate, Modi will not be able to face the public,” Gandhi said.

Claiming that PM Modi is “afraid” of having a debate with him on corruption, defence matters, GST, the country’s economy and demonetisation, he alleged the country’s GDP fell by two per cent within one year of note ban.

“Lots of youth became unemployed after demonetisation… 87,000 youth lost their jobs,” Mr Gandhi said.

The party president claimed that the “Nyay” scheme, which aims to provide Rs 72,000 to the poor annually, will “jump start the derailed economy” of the country, bring back the purchasing power among the poor leading to functioning of defunct factories and subsequently job creation.

Get the latest election news, live updates and election schedule for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on ndtv.com/elections. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates from each of the 543 parliamentary seats for the 2019 Indian general elections. Election results will be out on May 23.