Patna | Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday claimed that it will be "extremely difficult" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to form the next government in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, along with Bihar allies Dipankar Bhattacharya, who heads the CPI (ML) L, and Manoj Kumar Jha of the RJD, Kharge also said the PM's speeches, of late, have been "devoid of the earlier spark".

"I was addressing rallies in Andhra Pradesh when Modi was in adjoining Telangana. The bluster (‘abhiman') and pride (‘garv') that characterised his speeches in the past were missing,” said Kharge.

"After three phases of Lok Sabha polls, I can safely say it is going to be extremely difficult for Modi to become the PM again - a reason why he has given up speaking about achievements of his 10 years in power and is trying to create a Hindu-Muslim divide,” the Congress chief alleged.

He also slammed the PM for holding out an olive branch to former BJP ally in Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray and NCP founder Sharad Pawar "in a language unbecoming of a prime minister".