Tharoor's jibe at Modi: Let's hope Sharif is served biryani

"If Nawaz Sharif does accept the invitation, let's hope Narendra Modi will serve him chicken biryani!" Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said in an apparent jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime minister-designate.

The reference was obviously to Modi's earlier attack on Congress accusing it of serving chicken biryani to visiting Pakistan premier Raja Pervez Ashraf in 2013 when he had come here on a private visit in the midst of the controversy of beheading of an Indian soldier by Pakistani Army.

Addressing a rally in Baghpat in the last week of March, Modi had, alluding to the alleged incursions by the Pakistan army and beheading of the Indian soldier in 2013, again said that while all this was happening, the Congress government was serving chicken biryani to the visiting Pakistan premier.

SAARC Heads of State and government including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have been invited to Modi's swearing-in as prime minister on May 26.

Tharoor, who took a jibe at Modi through this "biryani" tweet, however, openly acknowledged that he was impressed with the BJP leader's conciliatory and inclusive statements.

"I am impressed by @narendramodi's onciliatory&inclusive statements. We must ensure he lives up2them&works4 for the benefit of ALL Indians," he tweeted.

This was retweeted 681 times and favourited by 415 times till this report was being filed.

At the AICC briefing, another party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, "We wish new government and Prime Minister designate all the best."