Digvijay cautions Rajnath against Modi

Congress General Secretary says Gujarat CM has always 'chopped off' hands that promoted him

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh today cautioned BJP President Rajnath Singh against the Gujarat Chief Minister, saying Narendra Modi has always "chopped off" the hands which promoted him.

"Its clear that Modi has always chopped off the hands which promoted him. That is why we would like to caution Rajnath Singh," Singh told reporters here.

The Congress general secretary expressed his sympathies for BJP patriarch L K Advani, who had skipped the Goa conclave where Modi was anointed party's campaign committee chief.

"He (Advani) was a man who took the tally of BJP from two in 1984 to 182. If this person has demanded some more time and asked to wait for a while, or demanded setting up of two committees including one headed by former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, what was the problem in waiting for a while. What was the hurry. After all they were not going to miss a plane," Singh said on Advani skipping the conclave.

The senior Congress leader also strongly rejected the suggestion of Modi being a threat to the party.

"He has never been a threat to Congress party. We do not take him seriously," Singh said.

The Congress leader also rejected contentions that the next Lok Sabha election could be a Rahul versus Modi contest.

"We fight elections on the basis of principles and not personalities," Singh said.

Congress had yesterday sounded dismissive over Modi anointment with party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed saying that his appeal is limited to Gujarat only.

"We have seen the hollowness of his campaign in Karnataka elections. He is popular only among people, who like communal politics and communal personalities.

"But this kind of politics goes against the ethos of India. Common people do not appreciate the communal politics of people like Modi," he had told PTI.