On eve of Sonia’s visit, Narendra Modi sharpens his barbs

Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed two public meetings in Vadodara on Thursday, took potshots at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is scheduled to campaign in South Gujarat and Saurashtra on Friday.

Modi said Congress party leaders were in a rush to prepare "Madam Soniaji's" speech as they did not want to repeat the mistake of 2007 when Sonia Gandhi had calling Narendra Modi "maut ka saudagar".

"Top Congress leaders are very busy. They are going to Delhi, coming back to Gujarat, and are doing so six times in a day preparing her speech. They are worried that if any word slips out of her mouth during the speech, Modi will finish them," he said.

"Congress party leaders are in tension...Just notice Soniaji's face when she is here, there will be no trace of smile on her face, you bet on that," he added.

He said BJP candidates in Chhota Udepur and Rajkot won elections in 2007 despite visits made by Sonia Gandhi then.

In his second public meeting in Vadodara, Modi said "sins" of Congress had put India out of Olympics, referring to reports that the country was out of International Olympic Committee.

"Yesterday, we heard a news that put all the 120 crore people of the country to shame. We are the youngest country in the world and 65% of our population is below 35. But due to sins of Congress, we have been thrown out of Olympics!" he said.

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