Congress calls Narendra Modi's fast 'new weight loss programme'

Narendra Modi's three-day fast was today derided as 'new weight loss programme' by Congress, which dismissed suggestions that the Gujarat Chief Minister could pose any challenge to Rahul Gandhi for prime ministership.

Party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury also said the projection of Modi as PM candidate would prove costly for the NDA which has already seen a clear divide on the issue with JD-U slamming his fast.

"I do not want to say anything unparliamentary" was her initial response to repeated questions on whether she sees cracks appearing in the NDA. She also made the same remark in response to some other questions.

Asked to comment on the comparison being made between Modi and Rahul Gandhi on the issue of prime ministership in the Lok Sabha elections, Chowdhury advised the former to think of such things with people of his age.

She took a jibe at Modi for his refusal to put on a 'skull cap' offered by a Muslim cleric during his Sadbhavana fast, which wound up today.

"Modi khud topi nahin pahanta hai, woh doosron ko topi pahnata hai (Modi does not put on a cap himself. He gives it to others)," Chowdhury said implying that the Gujarat Chief Minister befools others.

Referring to Modi's fast, the Congress spokesperson hummed a Bollywood song kasme waade pyar wafa sab baaten hain baaton ka kya (all these oaths, promises, love and loyalty are mere talks, which have no significance)."

She also mocked at LK Advani's rathyatra describing it as day dreaming and adding Congress did not feel the need to resort to such things. "Is it necessary that we also do what they are doing. They are free to see Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne," Chowdhury said referring to a Hindi teleserial.