At party presser, Narendra Modi takes no question

"Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done!" he wrote on the micro-blogging website

New Delhi: At a rare press conference as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi took no questions but expressed confidence about coming back to power with increased majority.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has often criticised Modi for not addressing media during his tenure, was quick in taking a jibe over the media interaction at the BJP headquarters called at the end of Lok Sabha campaign.

"I am a disciplined soldier. In our party, the president is everything," Modi said directing questions put to him to party president Amit Shah after a reporter enquired if she can ask the Prime Minister something.

As Shah kept replying to questions, another reporter sought to put a supplementary to Modi. Shah shot back to the reporter saying the question has been answered and the prime minister need not answer queries on everything.

Soon after the media interaction was over, Gandhi took a dig at the Prime Minister in a tweet. "Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done!" he wrote on the micro-blogging website.

Gandhi, who held a parallel press conference at the time Modi and Shah were meeting reporters, repeatedly urged Modi to debate him on several issues.

"Prime Minister holds a press conference just 4-5 days before the election ends. Unprecedented, Prime Minister of India is holding a press conference for the first time," he said mockingly.

At the presser, Modi termed the Lok Sabha elections a "spectacular" and "positive exercise". "In my opinion, our full majority government will return to power, such a thing will happen after a long time in the country. It will happen after a long time in the country," Modi said.

On the contrary, on being asked about his projection of results Rahul said that the public will decide the future course of May 23. Elections to 59 parliamentary constituencies will be held on May 19 in the seventh and last round of national polls. Counting of votes for all 543 seats will take place on May 23.

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