Modi targets Congress for not naming Rahul as PM candidate

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Jan 19 2014 | 2:45 PM IST
Narendra Modi today launched a sharp attack on Congress, saying it had desisted from projecting Rahul Gandhi as its Prime Ministerial candidate as Sonia Gandhi did not want to "sacrifice" her son politically in view of the "imminent defeat".
The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate also responded to the Congress' "chai wala" jibe at him, saying all the tea vendor were today proud that one among them was contesting for the top post.
Addressing the party's National Council here, he targeted Rahul without naming him as he said that "those born in an aristocratic family" feel below their dignity to contest against a tea vendor coming from a backward as they have "feudal mindset".
In his 75-minute speech, Modi questioned Congress' contention that it was following the tradition of not naming a PM candidate as the person should be elected by the MPs. In this regard, he referred to 1984, when Rajiv Gandhi was declared the Prime Minister after the assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi.
He also mentioned 2004, when Congress MPs elected Sonia Gandhi to be the Prime Minister but she instead nominated Manmohan Singh for the top job.
"I see a human angle behind this decision of Congress. When defeat is imminent, which mother will sacrifice her son politically? The heart of a mother (Sonia) decided to protect her son," Modi said on the ruling party's stand of not naming Rahul as the PM candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 19 2014 | 2:45 PM IST

Next Story