'Nirantar virodhi'

Ever since Narendra Modi was declared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prime ministerial candidate, his barbs directed at the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance have only increased. Countering him at every step has been Union minister Kapil Sibal. Sibal has even gone ahead and coined the epithet, "nirantar virodhi" (constant opponent) to describe Modi. Speaking to reporters, Sibal questioned what "nirantar virodhi's" alternative vision for the country was since he (Modi) and his party, the BJP, had got into the habit of opposing. The former human resources development minister (HRD) said, "What is his stand on education when his party has opposed Bills on foreign universities and accreditation of educational institutions?"

In the past, Sibal and Modi have sparred over the low-cost "Aakash" tablet that was developed by the HRD ministry. The Gujarat chief minister, taking a jibe at Sibal, had questioned the delay in production of these tablets, saying it was all mere talk. He alleged that the minister was possibly trying to blackmail him with these low-cost tablets and returned both the tablets sent to him in Gujarat. A miffed Sibal had then publicly referred to Modi for the first time as "Narendra Virodhi". He said, "Why doesn't he change his name from Narendra Modi to 'Narendra Virodhi''? We all will come to know that he is there to oppose everything."