"Rahul Gandhi knows that nobody will listen to him in India."
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today asserted that all parties contesting polls in the northeast must understand that they will have to eventually support the BJP.
Talking to reporters here, Mr Sarma also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "tallest leader" of the country, and everyone favours him in the region.
Asked about the JD(U) and NCP extending support to the NDPP-BJP in Nagaland, he said, "All parties before entering northeast must understand that water will flow into the ocean. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the tallest leader, everyone favours him," the NEDA convenor added.
Mr Sarma, however, declined to comment when asked if the Nagaland development signaled JD(U) supremo and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's return to BJP-led NDA.
"I have not researched much on him. But with Nitish Kumar, you can't guarantee anything," the BJP leader quipped.
Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent UK tour, during which he made a number of statements that ruffled some feathers, Mr Sarma claimed that he did so as "nobody in India listens to him".
"Rahul Gandhi knows that nobody will listen to him in India. Hence, he collected a bunch of anti-India people in London and spoke before them.
"For the first time, he showed some intelligence by delivering speeches outside India. We have to give him credit for that," the Assam CM added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)