Ghulam Nabi Azad, former veteran Congress leader who quit to form his own party, showered praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being a 'statesman' ahead of the release of his book on Wednesday.
Azad stressed that he criticised PM Modi over various issues, but he did not take 'revenge'.
PM Modi behaved like a stateman: Azad
"I must give credit to Modi for what I did to him. He was too generous. As Leader of the Opposition I did not spare him on any issue be it Article 370 or CAA or hijab. I got some bills totally failed but I must give him the credit that he behaved like a statesman, not taking revenge for that," Azad told news agency ANI.
On Azad's last day as a member of the Upper House, PM Narendra Modi had given a teary-eyed farewell, recalling how Azad had reached out to him in 2006 after Gujarati tourists were killed in a grenade attack in Srinagar.
Azad rubbishes allegations of G23 speaking on BJP's behalf
On allegations of G23 leaders being spokespersons of the BJP, Azad hit out saying: "That is stupid. If G23 was spokesperson of the BJP, why they are made MPs by Congress? Why have they made them MPs, general secretaries and office bearers? I’m the only one who formed the party. The rest of the people are still there. It is ill-conceived, immature and childish allegation."
Congress leadership has no influence over people: Azad
Coming down heavily on the current leadership of Congress party once again, Azad said that the leadership of party has no influence on the people of the country.
"Nehru ji, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi could bear the shock, they had endurance, they had public support and respect and with their work over a period of time, they could rebound. Current Congress leadership has no influence over people," Azad told ANI.
'Have no differences with Congress ideology'
"I don’t want to expose and totally demolish Congress. I may have some differences with leadership, but I have no differences with Congress party or Congress ideology. I have no difference of opinion with Congress ideology or earlier Congress leadership. Of course here and there in my book, I mentioned what went wrong during Nehru ji's time, Indira ji's time, Rajiv ji's time but I also said they were tall leaders," he further added.
