Narendra Modi tears into Chidambaram, says hardwork not Harvard pays

CHENNAI: Launching a stinging attack on Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram for ridiculing his knowledge of economics, BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today said the country was run with hard work and not Harvard, a reference to the Congress leader's education overseas.

In an apparent reference to Chidambaram's 2009 victory in Lok Sabha polls from Sivaganga after a recounting of votes, the Gujarat Chief Minister described him as the "Recounting Minister" and charged him with displaying 'excessive arrogance' while leaving the country's economy in bad shape.

"UPA government has a Recounting Minister. He lost (the election) but won in recounting. He is from Tamil Nadu. He thinks he was the first in the queue when God was distributing knowledge," Modi said without naming Chidambaram.

Addressing a well-attended public rally at suburban Vandalur, he said when Chidambaram made fun of his knowledge about economics he had kept quiet "because more the mud is thrown, better the Lotus blooms."

"He (the Finance minister) said Modi's knowledge of economics can be written behind a postage stamp. The Congress- led UPA is headed by an eminent economist (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh). The Finance Minister also thinks himself to be equally efficient. He thinks nobody else is more intelligent than him.

"Only if you paste the postal stamp will the letter be delivered. I have proved myself through delivery (in Gujarat)," the BJP leader said.

He suggested there be a contest between him and Chidambaram and said "you are educated from a big university. I am from a poor background from a small village. The Finance Minister is from Harvard. I am from hard-work. Do we need Harvard or hardwork for the development of the country?" he said.

While the NDA-led government had in 2004 ensured an over eight per cent grwoth rate, "as per your own statistics, Mr Recounting Minister, the GDP growth was 4.5 per cent in 2012-13," Modi said.