Selling tea is better than selling country: Modi

Attacking the United Progressive Alliance government and commenting on the "tea-seller" jibe by a Samajwadi Party MP, Narendra Modi Friday said someone who sells the country could not be its prime minister.

Modi slammed Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal's comments made Wednesday that a tea vendor could not become prime minister, for he would lack a national vision.

The SP extends outside support to the UPA government.

"UPA members are saying a tea vendor cannot become the prime minister. It is for the people to decide if a tea vendor will become the prime minister or not, but it is better than a person who sells the country," he said.

Modi also targeted Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, saying that he was talking of changing the system, but the system had been put in place by leaders of Gandhi's own party.

In his rallies in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Modi also attacked Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying she needed to do her "home work" on the state properly.

Modi said Congress leaders have nothing else to do but track him: "Congress leaders sit in front of TV sets to see what Modi is speaking," said the Gujarat chief minister and prime minister candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party at a rally in Raigarh.

"Congress has nothing else to do. Either they look for gold, or they look for Modi," he said, referring to the recent digging undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India near a fort in Uttar Pradesh where a seer had said he had dreamt of a huge haul of buried gold.

Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh are being held in two phases. The first phase was held Nov 11 for 18 seats, and saw 67 percent voter turnout. The second phase is scheduled for Nov 19.

"Can those who sell the country be rulers? UPA leaders are cheating the poor by insulting them," Modi said.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, Modi said: "The prince says I want to change the system... Ask him who ruled the country for 60 years," Modi said.

Modi targeted Sonia Gandhi for alleging that the Chhattisgarh government did not do enough for the development of agriculture.

"Madam, please come here after doing your homework. If you do not have information, I will request Raman Singhji (chief minister of Chhattisgarh) to provide it to you," he said.

Modi also slammed Sonia Gandhi for her party's allegations that Maoists had spread their network during the tenure of the Raman Singh government.

He said it was the Congress which repealed the anti-terror law that was enacted by the National Democratic Alliance regime. Modi also said that chief ministers of Congress-ruled states avoid going among the people, as they are not popular.