Rahul effect: Cong softens attack on PM

However, since polling began, the Congress’ attacks have been landing closer home — bordering on being personal.

In the last 10 days alone, the Congress has criticised his ‘‘well-thought out silences’’ over crucial issues and asked him to ‘‘retire’’. It then commented on how strange it was for the PM to confess that ‘‘no one listens to him’’.

The Congress then charged that the PM was ‘‘tired and demoralised’’ and the voters must ‘‘assess his efficiency’’. Continuing in the same vein, the party then called him ‘‘forgetful and absent-minded’’ giving instances of how he ‘‘forgets the day of polling, the name of the candidate he is campaigning for and even whether these are elections for Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha.’’