'Modi has crossed all limits in ambition to be PM'

Hitting back at Gujarat strongman Narendra Modi, Congress on Friday accused him of "crossing all limits in over-ambition" by his no-holds bar attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and asked him to first gain acceptability within BJP.

Latching on to L K Advani's apparent disapproval of Modi's attack on the Prime Minister in Bhuj on Thursday, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh took potshots at the Gujarat Chief Minister for his "abrasive hunger for power which has no limits".

"On Modi's Independence (Day) Speech, I and Advaniji are on the same page. Modi's abrasive hunger for power has no limits," Singh wrote on microblogging site Twitter.

Talking to reporters, he added, "The manner in which Modi has targeted the Prime Minister, he has broken all the established norms and traditions. It is his over-ambition, which is behind all this. Now there is no limit for him.

"He (Modi) has crossed all limits. Now it should be a worry for BJP leaders that how long will they keep carrying such an over-ambitious person on their shoulders."

Taking on Modi, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said when the Prime Minister speaks from the ramparts of Red Fort, he represents the hopes and aspirations of 120 crore people of the country and if anybody thinks that he can compare one's speech with that of the PM's speech, "nothing can reflect one's desperation more".

Ridiculing Modi for attempting to draw such a comparison, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said that Modi is quite keen that Congress accepts him as a challenge.

"We are fighting the election against the BJP. First he (Modi) should get hold over the BJP. Thereafter we will see, whether he is a challenge or not. Right now he is not being able to convince BJP itself," Khurshid said Advani, who has voiced reservations about the elevation of Modi as BJP's national election campaign chief, had said that on a day like Independence Day, leaders should not be critical of others.

"I heard the Prime Minister today...Today on Independence Day, without criticising anybody, we all should realise that India has unlimited potential for the future," Advani had said, striking a completely different note from Modi.

Backing Advani, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had said there are 364 other days in the year to comment on the Prime Minister and that leaders should try to avoid politics on the occasion of Independence Day.

In his Independence Day speech, Modi had blamed the Prime Minister for not taking a strong stand on Pakistan, failing to revive the economy and for massive corruption in the country.

He had also challenged the Prime Minister to a public debate on governance, saying the nation is "restless for change".