Why does PM Modi have such a visceral,atavistic compulsion to hate Jawaharlal Nehru? Cud it be that deep down he envies Nehru? For his erudition, his writings and books, his facility with English, his world stature, even his relationship with Edwina Mountbatten?

Of course Nehru made mistakes. He was as much a creature of his times as anyone else in history. As India's First PM he will always be the subject of academic research and critical analysis of his time in office. But for the 14th PM to base his claim to office on the alleged

Misdeeds of the First, does suggest a lack of confidence in his own vision for the future. Maybe Nehru elbowed out Patel for the PM job; we'll never know. So did Modi elbow out Advani; we do know. Maybe some of Nehru's choices turned out badly; What abt Modi's #DeMonetisation?

Modi claims to push for #MakeInIndia. Thats exactly what Nehru pushed for. He sought aid to set up public sector steel making capacity in Bhilai, Rourkela. He pushed nuclear power, space exploration, established the first IIT, Rail manufacturing.

It cannot have been easy to do all this at a time of great turmoil, and despite a big Congress majority in Parliament he had respect for the opposition point of view. His Foreign policy was colored by the colonial experience, and he sought Non-Alignment.

That Non-alignment was a flawed choice but only with the benefit of hindsight. At the time that and an almost romantic flirtation with socialist idealism was the fashion all over the world. Ultimately it was a failed China policy that broke him.

'All political careers end in failure', said Enoch Powell. Nehru's ended with the 1963 debacle at the hands of the Chinese Army. But that is no reason to dismiss the man and the leadership he provided.

For Mr Modi to do so now is churlish, opportunistic and unstatesmanlike. After nearly 4 years in charge he cannot expect to dismiss legitimate questions of his record in office by reference to imagined mistakes allegedly made by a man who died 53 years ago.

He cannot stake a claim to a popular mandate for a second term based on events that happened 7 decades ago. He needs to present his case on the basis of his achievements in office since 2014.and on the basis of his manifesto for the next 5 years.

Of course to be utterly cynical the only reason to heap blame for everything on Nehru is that Mr Nehru is not around to defend his record. And it plays to the gallery. Neither of which are reasons that should motivate true leaders, never mind great Statesmen.

And if you have read my tweet thread this far, then watch thus. BJP leader Rajnath Singh paying fulsome tribute to the many and varied contributuons by J Nehru to the development of young India. https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/962328996624191500