Badal heaps praise on Modi, calls Rahul novice

Showering praise on NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the key post should be held by an experienced person and not by any "novice".
"If today anyone is popular in the country it is Modi... he will become the next Prime Minister," he said winding up debate on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor's Address in the state Assembly.
Badal, whose SAD is an ally of NDA, drew parallels between Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as far as the political experience of both the leaders was concerned.
Without naming Rahul, Badal said that "how can a person who had neither remained a minister or held no responsible post and is unknown among people can hold the post of PM."

"Sending a political novice to the PM's post is detrimental for the country," he said.
Badal said if Modi became the PM, the discrimination against Punjab by repeated Congress-led central governments will end.

He said that after the Lok Sabha polls, Congress will be decimated from the political map of the country.
Backing Sikh farmers facing "eviction" from Kutch region of Gujarat, Badal said Modi had assured him that no one would be displaced from Gujarat.
"At a recent rally at Jagraon in Punjab, Modi had clearly said he will not allow eviction of Sikh farmers from Gujarat," he said.

Badal dubbed Congress as "leaderless" and said the work culture in the party was totally centralised.
He made the remarks when opposition Congress MLAs were not present in the House as they had walked out the Chief Minister rose to reply after the debate.