Secular forces must fight Modi onslaught: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday came out for the first time strongly against BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying he hoped all secular forces would combine "to face the onslaught of people like Narendra Modi".

Answering a question on whether Modi's emergence was a threat to India's secular polity, the prime minister said, without mincing words: "I sincerely hope that all secular forces would combine to face the onslaught of people like Mr. Narendra Modi.

"And I have every reason to believe that that will happen. You wait for some time before the people realise what they are up against," he said, as he addressed the media while flying home after attending the UN General Assembly.