Respect earned by Modi for country exceeded what PMs from my own family did: Varun Gandhi

BJP MP Varun Gandhi Monday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying some of his own Nehru-Gandhi family members, who occupied the top post, could not earn as much respect for the country as Modi did.

"Some in my family have also been prime ministers but the respect that Narendra Modi has earned for the nation was never done before," said Gandhi, who is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from neighbouring Pilibhit, represented by his mother and Union minister Maneka Gandhi.

Gandhi made the remarks while addressing an election meeting at Bahedi in Pilibhit. In the ongoing polls, his mother has been fielded by the BJP from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency, presently represented by him.

Pilibhit is going to polls on April 23 in the third phase of elections along with 115 constituencies in 14 states.

Gandhi emphasised that Modi managed to earn unprecedented respect for the country despite having a modest background.

"Others like V P Singh belonged to an erstwhile royal family, Narsimha Rao was a big name, Atal Bihari Vajpayee belonged to a common family. Modiji belongs to a very common family. He has seen poverty from very close quarters," said Gandhi.

The BJP MP from Sultanpur said there had not been a single blot of corruption on Modi in the past five years.

"You all know how dirty the politics is. The people here face serious charges in just six months but there is no such allegation against Modiji," he said.

For whom will he indulge in corruption after all, he asked.

"He is living only for the country," he stressed.