Hitting back at Narendra Modi over his remarks on Rahul Gandhi, Congress today said BJP can "only" name Prime Ministerial candidates and not give "strong" PMs, even as JD(U) joined the tea-vendor spat saying a person selling "poisonous" tea should not hold the top post.
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken asked why the party should follow BJP's "failed" model of "PM-in-waiting".
"BJP only gives prime ministerial candidates while the Congress gives strong PMs to the country. During the last two general elections, there were only candidates who came forward from BJP, the PM came from Congress and UPA only," Union minister Manish Tewari told reporters in Ludhiana.
Their remarks came after BJP led by Modi took a dig at Congress for not naming Rahul as the Prime Ministerial candidate, saying Sonia Gandhi wanted to save her son from being "sacrificed" politically in view of "imminent" defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.
Modi, who was once a tea vendor, also hit at out at the 'chai wala' barbs at him by Congress leaders accusing them of "feudal mindset".
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had mocked Modi's prime ministerial ambitions saying he will never attain his goal in this century and a tea stall will be identified for him at the AICC venue.
Addressing the party's National Council here, Modi said that "those born in an aristocratic family" feel below their dignity to contest against a tea vendor coming from a backward community.
While the Congress yesterday distanced itself from such remarks, JD(U) leader K C Tyagi said that a person selling "poisonous tea" through Gujarat to the country should not become the PM.
