Congress takes potshots at Modi over ‘TOP’ speech

New Delhi: Even as PM Narendra Modi addressed his first rally in poll-bound Karnataka, a political slugfest has begun. As Mr Modi spoke about TOP (tomato, onion and potato), Congress social media in-charge Divya Spandana made a jibe on Twitter with a tongue and cheek post, “Is this what happens when you are on POT?” She also tagged a news report on the PM’s speech.

Just before the Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress had distanced itself from former party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s “neech” remark. However in the present context, Congress insiders claimed that this tongue and cheek use of Twitter has been started by the BJP. They added that it was Ms Spandana  decision to tweet what she deems fit.

Reacting sharply, the BJP IT cell in-charge tw-eeted, “Will Rahul maintain silence on Divya Sp-andana’s comment whi-le he sacked Mani Shan-kar Aiyar just because his jibe came close to Gujarat election and Karnataka is still some months away? Or sacrificing his close aide, responsible for his rise as a leader, takes some courage?”

Once again hitting back Ms Spandana responded by tweeting, “You didn’t want to tag me cos you didn’t want people to watch the Modi video pinned on my timeline? Come on! Be a sport — And hey, POT = Potato ?? Onion Tomato ?? what were you thinking???”

Interestingly, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has asked his party workers to exercise restrain in their utterances. But it seems that this tongue and cheek attack on Mr Modi is a strategy of the Congress on social media.