Congress leader Digvijay Singh, a known Narendra Modi baiter, on Thursday took everyone by surprise by stating that the Gujarat Chief Minister was moving away from his “fanatic” ideology and that “even a chaiwallah can become the Prime Minister.”
“Modi is slowly distancing from his fanatic (kattarpanthi) ideology. It might be late but if he is now realising that a fanatic ideology is not acceptable to the country, I am happy about it. Since he has realised it, he is now moving towards the ideology of Atalji (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee). That is why he is talking of inclusiveness in his speeches,” Singh said at the Agenda Aaj Tak 2013
conclave of India Today Group.
He added that if Sangh and the BJP are coming close to the ideology of Congress and (Jawaharlal) Nehru then it is a welcome sign. But Singh pointed that “Modi will not be acceptable to people of India” and he would prefer Sushma Swaraj to him “if god forbid BJP comes to power”.
BJP leader Smriti Irani latched on to the comments saying “we had not thought that Digvijay Singh will say that even a chaiwallah can become Prime Minister...I am happy that Modi ji is being praised so much by Digvijay Singh ji.”
The barbs between Singh and Irani continued as the BJP leader said that this also reflects the difference in the nature of leadership in the two parties as even a small worker in BJP is heard, whereas Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi does not listen to even a seniors like Digvijay Singh.
Singh also attacked Modi on the Snoopgate issue reiterating his demand for a probe under Indian Telegraph Act and IT Act.
He also rubbished the exit poll results of Assembly elections in the five
States and refused to accept it as some sort of a semi final for the next lok
Sabha elections.