VIDEO | 'Witty' Ramdas Athawale takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi, leaves Parliament in splits

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale never misses out an opportunity to showcase his witty side. On Wednesday, while delivering his welcome speech on the election of Om Birla as Lok Sabha speaker, Athawale extended his wishes to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on his 49th birthday, but also took a jibe at his shocking defeat against Union Minister Smriti Irani from the family bastion of Amethi.

"Rahul ji aapko wahan baithne ka mauka mila isiliye aapko badhai deta hoon. Jab apki satta thi tab main aapke saath tha. Chunav ke pehle mujhe Congress wale bol rahe the idhar aao. Maine hawa ka rukh dekha ki woh Modi ji ki taraf ja rahi hai (I congratulate you on getting an opportunity to sit there (in the Opposition benches). I was with the UPA when it was was in power. Congress leaders asked me to join them again ahead of elections. But I saw which way the wind was blowing and decided to remain with NDA," he said.

#WATCH:Ramdas Athawale in Lok Sabha says,"Rahul ji aapko wahan baithne ka mauka mila isiliye aapko badhai deta hoon.Jab apki satta thi tab main aapke saath tha.Chunav ke pehle mujhe Congress wale bol rahe the idhar aao.Maine hawa ka rukh dekha ki woh Modi ji ki taraf ja rahi hai" pic.twitter.com/p6ccS4mNKI

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2019

Rahul and Sonia took his remarks sportingly and were seen smiling. When the RPI leader was speaking, Modi was seen laughing on more than two occasions.

"Now, our government will run for five years, and for another five years ... Modi sahib will continue to do the good work. We will not let you come this side (treasury benches) so easily," Athawale said, amid thumping of desks by NDA members.

(With PTI inputs)