New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS): Narendra Modi cannot become the prime minister but can sell tea, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said Friday, prompting an angry response from the BJP.

"Narendra Modi cannot become the prime minister in the 21st century. If he wants, he can come and sell tea here at the AICC meet and we will make arrangements," Aiyar told the media.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley tweeted in response: "The strength of Indian democracy will be proved when a former tea vendor defeats a dynasty's representative. Let this be the battle of 2014."

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy added: "Nothing better is expected from Mani Shankar Aiyar. They can only make such obnixous remarks."

Congress leader P. Chidambaram said "the tea vendor argument is being taken too far".

"The Congress can name hundreds of leaders who have started from modest backgrounds. The fact that modesty is being trumpeted shows their immodesty, not modesty," he said.

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