SITARAM KESRI WAS THROWN OUT ON ROAD TO MAKE WAY FOR SONIA: MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that Sitaram Kesri, who was from a "Dalit and exploited community", was not allowed to complete his term as the Congress president so that Sonia Gandhi could take over the reins of the party.

Speaking at a poll rally here in Chhattisgarh, Modi claimed that Kesri was ousted unceremoniously, "was locked in a bathroom" and "thrown out on the footpath".

"The Congress had said a chaiwala became the prime minister by the grace of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. I challenged them (to show that) when he (Nehru) had established such a democratic and liberal system, then make someone from outside the Gandhi family the Congress president for at least five years," he said, reports PTI.

"The country knows that Sitaram Kesri, who was from a Dalit and exploited community, was not allowed to complete his five-year term as the Congress president and was removed from the post," Modi added.

"The country knows how he was locked in a bathroom and then, thrown out of office and on the footpath to facilitate the entry of Sonia Gandhi as the new party chief," he said.

"The Congress cannot even afford a Dalit and exploited leader as its president for two years, then how can they appoint someone, who is not from the Gandhi family, for five years," he added.

The prime minister was addressing a rally here on the last day of campaigning for the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.