Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Reacting to the comments made by the Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal with regard to BJP`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, a tea vendor, Balram Bali, who is a candidate from Chandni Chowk in the upcoming Delhi polls said on Thursday that a clean person must become the PM of India, irrespective of the fact whether he is rich or poor.
"A clean person must be PM, be it a rich person, a poor person or even a tea vendor," Balram was quoted by a news agency as saying.
He also said that he was fighting an election from Chandni Chowk, be it Lok Sabha or Assembly, for the sixteenth time.
Taking a dig a Modi in Hardoi yesterday, Naresh Agarwal had said a person who used to sell tea can never be nationalist in his views and can never become India`s PM.
"Narendra Modi says he used to sell tea. He wants to be PM now. A tea vendor can never have a national outlook," Agarwal said, adding, "If a constable is given an SP`s job, his perspective will not change."
On the fact that Modi`s rallies across the country was attracting huge crowds, he said that even street performers are able to draw large crowds.
However, the SP leader today regretted making such a remark as it had hurt the poor.
Meanwhile, in a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal for a personal attack on him, BJP`s prime ministerial candidate for 2014 General Elections Narendra Modi said on Thursday that even a man who polishes other people`s shoes can occupy the top post of the country.
Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh, the Gujarat Chief Minister said that the SP leader`s comment reflected the mentality of the politicians who mock poor of this country. "Those born in rich homes are mocking the poor," he said. "Even someone who polishes other people`s boots can become India`s PM," he added.
He also said that he had never hidden his background.
Modi has in rallies after rallies evoked his humble background and told the people as to how as a teenager he used to run a tea stall with his brother and how he used to sell tea in trains.
