The Congress on Sunday termed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s promise to make cities in the state better than those in the United States “a joke”.

“My brothers and sisters be assured that we will make Madhya Pradesh’s cities better than those in America,” Chouhan said, while addressing a programme in Sagar district on Saturday. “Our government is committed to transforming the towns and cities in the state as the most clean, beautiful and advanced cities,” he said, according to The New Indian Express.

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Kamal Nath termed the promise as “yet another joke”. He said Chouhan should first ask the people of Madhya Pradesh about the condition of roads in the state after the first rain of monsoon. The Congress’ remarks come a few months before the state will have its Assembly elections.

State Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said Chouhan had represented Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency five times in a row but the towns in the constituency are still in shambles, according to the Hindustan Times.

In October, Chouhan had claimed that the roads in his state were better than those in the United States while addressing the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum meeting in Washington.