Nehru became country's first PM on 'compassionate grounds'

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and US president Harry Truman wave to journalists upon the arrival on the Washington airport of the Indian Government chief on October 13, 1949

Slamming Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for his remarks that India has a tea seller as its prime minister today because of the country's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, the BJP Wednesday retorted that rather Nehru became the PM on "compassionate grounds". Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only person who became the country's PM due to massive public support and majority whereas former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru could become the first PM of the country on compassionate grounds," BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said in a news conference.

"And Indira Gandhi (became the PM) due to her syndicate, he added. Trivedi, however, did not elaborate further upon his observations. Speaking about Nehru on the eve of his birth anniversary (November 14), Tharoor had said Tuesday that it was because of the institutional structure created by Nehru that even a "chai wala" (tea seller) can become India's prime minister today. "If today we have a chai wala as prime minister, it is because Nehru created the institutional structures through which any Indian can aspire to rise to the highest office of the land," Tharoor had said.

Trivedi said only two prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi, were accepted as undisputed leaders before becoming PM. He said it was the sole example in the world of a person from a common family background becoming prime minister of a democratic India. Talking about the "tussle" within the Congress over ticket distribution, Trivedi said its state leaders have already announced their candidature for assembly polls even before the party declaring its candidates.
He said while Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot and party's state chief Sachin Pilot have announced to contest, another leader Harish Chaudhary has filed nomination, and it's all before the declaration of candidates.

Congress is taking one step forward and the next step backward. The situation seems awkward. Delay in finalising the candidates' list indicates that the ticket distribution is stuck in a tussle over the shares of its top leaders' candidates in the list, he said. Replying to a question on BJP MP Harish Meena joining Congress, Trivedi said it was an unfair step.

He said the party had given him a lot, but he chose to quit it in "an unfair step". His decision to leave the party, however, will make no difference to it, he added.

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