Narendra Modi calls Shashi Tharoor’s wife ’50-crore-rupee girlfriend’

Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), 29 Oct 2012 (TOI): A day after the Cabinet reshuffle, UPA ministers — especially Shashi Tharoor — came under fire from Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as he made a scathing attack on the former UN diplomat, calling his wife the " 50-crore-rupee girlfriend".

 

Addressing a rally here on Monday, ahead of polls in the state, Modi said, "Wah kya girlfriend hai. Apne kabhi dekha hai 50 crore ka girlfriend?" (What a girlfriend. Have you ever seen a 50-crore-girl friend), he told the crowd referring to Tharoor who was inducted into the government as minister of state for HRD.

 

Modi was making a reference to allegations of Tharoor actively negotiating the "sweat equity" for Sunanda Pushkar, now his wife for the Kochi IPL team in 2010. He had allegedly asked for 10% for Pushkar while the deal was finally settled at 5%. Following the allegations, Tharoor had resigned from the Union ministry.

 

The Gujarat CM regaled his supporters with jibes at Tharoor. "Everyone has heard about the minister, taken back on board and rewarded for his conduct. He claimed in the Parliament that he is in no way connected to the Rs 50 crore and that these are in his friend’s name. Who has heard of a crorepati girlfriend? And then girlfriend becomes wife, we learn some time later."

 

Many in the BJP say that Modi was particularly unkind on Tharoor because the latter had taken on Modi over the controversy over his online followers. When Modi posted a self-congratulatory tweet a few days ago for clocking over a million followers — which later became a hot debate with some sites saying that most were fake or inactive followers — Tharoor had said in his tweet: "Alas, most followers aren’t fans."

 

Modi also took on Salman Khurshid and the Prime Minister for "promoting" him. "By promoting him, the Congress has proven that it is promoting its corrupt leaders. Salman Khurshid should have been made to resign but instead he has been promoted. Congress believes that the bigger the corruption, bigger the promotion," said Modi. "The number of cases of corruption do not seem to bother the party," he added.

 

Hitting out at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the BJP leader said: "She does not know how to run a kitchen. If she knew, she would not have allowed capping of LPG cylinders. Indian woman, who runs a kitchen, is suffering," said Modi.

 

Prem Kumar Dhumal’s arch rival Virbhadra Singh was also on Modi’s target. "Income tax department raided a steel company and checked its accounts which mentioned transactions in the name of VBS. Congress claims it does not stand for Virbhadra Singh. Yes, Virbhadra Singh is Vir Bhaksh Singh," said Modi.