Senior Congress leader Ramnarayan Meena today praised Opposition BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying the Gujarat chief minister has risen to great heights on his abilities and he knows pangs of poverty. "Modi has risen to such great heights from ground on the basis of his abilities and knows about the pangs of poverty," Meena said.

He said that on other hand, Congress Vice President Rahul has "not witnessed such hardships and is not aware about destitution. He needs a better team to know the same". He, however, alleged that top industrialists of the country are in Modi's pockets. "The face of BJP is singularly Nardendra Modi who has Ambani and Adani in his left hand pocket and his party, the BJP, in his right hand pocket while the RSS is behind him," he said.

Meena also said both the BJP and the Congress have ignored merit and performance of their respective workers and tickets were distributed only on the bases of win-ability.

The BJP's move to deny ticket to its senior leader Jaswant Singh and fielding Sonaram from Barmer clearly indicated that the party is "hungry for power and runs only after it", he said.

On the opposition of Congress MP from Moradabad Mohammad Azharuddin by the party workers in Tonk parliamentary seat, Meena said, "a section of minority is slipping away from Congress" and it was a matter of great concern for the party.

Earlier, a JD(U) leader was expeled for lauding Narendra Modi.