BJP gives country PM candidates, Congress gives capable PMs: Manish Tewari

Commenting on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's remark on Congress for not declaring its prime ministerial candidate, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on Sunday said that the BJP only gives the country prime ministerial candidates but it is Congress which has been giving the country capable prime ministers.

"BJP only gives the country prime ministerial candidates but it is Congress which has been giving the country capable prime ministers," said Tewari.

"This can be easily seen by having a look at the past two elections and even this time Congress and UPA will give the country a capable leader," he said.

Congress leader Harish Rawat said that Modi knows it very well that only Rahul Gandhi will be the prime ministerial candidate for Congress.

"Even Modi knows it that only Rahul Gandhi will be the prime ministerial candidate for Congress as a lot of people and the Congress want to see him as the prime minister of the country," said Rawat.

"Rahul Gandhi has said that he is willing and ready to take any responsibility given by party and it is Congress's tradition to elect candidate like this," he said.

"BJP always speaks about dividing the nation and Congress always gives the right direction and productive measures for the country. Also, Congress is everyone's party as it does not discriminate or communalize," he added.

Earlier, Modi attacked the Congress Party for not declaring their PM nominee at their AICC meet on Friday, and said that that the announcement was withheld because the Congress could visualize their defeat in the upcoming elections.

"There can be many reasons to run away from elections for Ms. Gandhi, I see political reasons but I see one more reason. There is a reason for Congress' decision not to announce PM candidate. They can see defeat is imminent, so will a mother sacrifice her son's future?" he asked.

He further hit out at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for calling it a Congress' tradition of not disclosing their PM candidate.

"Did a Parliamentary panel choose Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister? And here you are telling us about traditions. Parliamentary Committee of Congress did not choose Dr. Manmohan Singh as PM, it chose Soniaji as their PM. but Ms Gandhi nominated Dr Singh," he said.

Modi also took a jibe at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, and said that Congress workers came to hear the name of their Prime Ministerial candidate, but went home with three cylinders.

"Congress representatives across the country came to Delhi with hope. They were told that the Congress PM candidate will be disclosed. Congress workers came for a PM, went home with three cylinders instead," he said.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani, party president Rajnath Singh were present at the meet among others.