Mandya, Mar 12 (IANS): Making an emotional appeal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Sunday that the opposition Congress was "only concerned about his grave", and added that, "my concern is about development".

Addressing a mega public rally here after inaugurating the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, PM Modi said, "When leaders of Congress party are busy digging grave for Narendra Modi, I am busy with project implementation of Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.

"The Congress leaders are cherishing the dream of my funeral," he stressed.

"Before 2014, there was a Congress government which looted the poor. No concern was shown for the poor. For the development of Karnataka, the people must choose a double engine government.

"People of the country blessed me with power in 2014. The government for the poor got installed then. From the past nine years, the life of the poor has been made better with the schemes by the central government.

"We will repay the love of the people with interest. There has been talk of a 10-lane expressway. The social media also discussing the project. The photos of Bengaluru-Mysuru highway have gone viral.

"In the last nine years, more than three crores of poor people have been provided with houses. The beneficiaries are also in Karnataka. More than Rs 600 crore cash has been transferred to three lakh farmers," PM Modi stated.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "Even people of Pakistan and China like Narendra Modi's leadership. They are dreaming of having a leader like him. Even the US citizens have appreciated him, he added.