Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, calling him the “tallest leader” who can run the country with his vast leadership experiences.

Participating in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Gowda said that he must congratulate PM Modi who selected a “backward woman” as the President.

The veteran Janata Dal (Secular) leader recounted allegations of being “communal” and “enemy to federal structure” levelled by the opposition against the Modi government and said that when he (Modi) didn’t get full majority in the third term, regional parties came together to solidly support him.