Kolkata: In what may trigger a controversy senior Congress leader Raj Babbar on Friday claimed that Trinamul Congres supremo Mamata Banerjee has been sending kurta to Prime Minister Narendra Modi because she knows the “right size” in an oblique reference to Mr Modi’s 56-inch chest. Taking a dig at the West Bengal chief minister, he alleged that she has however not sent gifts to any Congress leader or someone else so far.
Upping its ante the CPI(M) also questioned the “secrecy” over Ms Banerjee sending the gifts to Mr Modi. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury wondered why Mr Modi had to make the revelation during the Lok Sabha election. Mocking the poll-battle between Ms Banerjee and Mr Modi as “kusti”, he has accused them of having “dosti”.
At the state Congress headquarters, Mr Babbar said, “Two products from here are world famous. They are sweets made of cottage cheese and kurta. But till date, Mamataji has not sent them to us or anyone else. If she has to send them, she sends it to only one person. So you can understand that she knows the size of kurta. We earlier used to raise questions if the size of his chest is 56 inches or not.”
The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief came to the city to campaign for Syed Shahid Imam, the party candidate for Kolkata North.
His attack on Ms Banerjee came a day after the Trinamul chief acknowledged of sending gifts to the PM who recently revealed that she sends him kurta and sweets as gifts yearly.
At state CPI(M) headquarters, Mr Yechury said, “There will be proper human gesture if you go to somebody’s house on a festival day. They will give you something. But that is not a secret thing.”
Slamming the Trinamul chief and the PM he asked, “Why is it a secret that has to be told by Mr Modi now? Did you ever hear earlier that Didi choosing Punjabi suiting Mr Modi? Why is the secrecy? Something else behind the back and something else in the front: Kusti and Dosti.”
