Modi to refrain from making unsavoury remark

Narendra Modi on Sunday sought to end the unsavoury controversy by hinting that he would refrain from references on Sonia Gandhi.

Sensing his remarks on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul have not gone down well with BJP as well, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today sought to end the unsavoury controversy by hinting that he would refrain from such references and saying same the letup is only to prevent the Opposition from taking any advantage in Lok Sabha polls.

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In an interview to a news channel, Modi drew inspiration from the on-going Indo-Pak cricket fever when he likened the heat of electioneering to a match that has reached a nerve-wracking stage.

"Many a times when a cricket match reaches its peak of excitement, it so happens that a no-ball or a wide-ball is bowled. Similar thing happens in the heat of election campaigning", Modi told The Indian Express Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta in the "Walk the Talk" programme to be telecast on April 10, a party release said here today.

"But in future, my efforts would be to maintain line and length so that my opponents do not get any chance to score a run", he added.

Modi's statement comes a day after BJP young turk Varun Gandhi, nephew of Sonia Gandhi, expressed displeasure at the remarks during canvassing in south Gujarat yesterday.

Even national BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu today called upon political leaders, including Modi to excersise restraint and conduct electioneering in dignified manner.