Indore, Apr 26: Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi here on Saturday took a dig at the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for his inability to curb soaring inflation and the price rise. Addressing the launching ceremony of Madhya Pradesh government's novel scheme -- `Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojna', Modi derided the Prime Minister on his statement that political parties politicizing the issue of price rise.

I ask the Prime Minister, if he is so serious about the issue, why necessary steps were not taken by him to bring the soaring prices down and bring relief for the common people, Modi said. He also took a potshot at the Left parties for politicizing the issue of price rise. The Left parties are merely raising the issue of price rise against the Congress-led UPA government to derive cheap publicity and remain the news. Had it not been so, the Left ought to have severed its relationship with the UPA government, he added.

Talking about the import of red wheat by the central government from the foreign countries, Modi alleged some kind of nexus between the government and foreign `Agencies

', which purportedly seems to benefit the `international agents' in the country.

Questioning the government over abysmal food stock in the country, Modi said when the NDA government led by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was in power, the country's food stocks were overflowing and it was facing the crisis of plenty. Now, the reverse is happening. The government will have to answer as to where the food stocks have gone and why it is compelled to import substandard quality wheat from the abroad, Gujarat chief minister parried question, adding that it was ironical on the part of a Prime Minister of a country that he can spend sleepless night over the custody of an Indian national of Bangalore of his alleged links with terrorist, but at the same time, he seems to have no concern for the poor of this country.

Referring to the statistics of growth and progress made by country in different areas as presented by the UPA government in its report, Modi claimed that it was basically due to performance of BJP-ruled governments in the country, which has put the country on the trajectory of growth and progress. The country's performance will present a pathetic picture, if growth stories of BJP-ruled states are excluded, he added.