New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday came in for praise in the Rajya Sabha from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took a dig at the opposition party by telling it that 'Modi hai tau mauka lijiye'.

"Azad sahib hamesha saumya bhasha ka istemaal karte hain; unhone J&K mein elections ki tareef ki hai lekin mujhe darr lagta hai... aapki party isse uchit disha me lenge. Kahin G-23 ke rai maan ke iss se ulta na kar de (Azad always uses polite language; he has even praised elections in Jammu and Kashmir. But I am afraid... your party should take it in the right spirit and not do something opposite by thinking that it is an advice from G-23 (group of 23 Congress leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi)," the Prime Minister remarked while replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address to Parliament.

"Modi hai to mauka lijiye (take your chance while Modi is here)," he quipped.

The G-23 group had written to the Congress President to demand sweeping reforms within the opposition party, including elections for party chief's post, and from block to CWC levels, and restoration of Parliamentary Board.

Jammu and Kashmir is set to lose representation in the Rajya Sabha as four members from the erstwhile state are retiring this month, including Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on February 15.

However, no announcement has been made so far for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, whose status was changed to Union Territory with the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019.