Panaji, April 1 (PTI): Congress in Goa on Monday compared Narendra Modi and BJP's?South Goa candidate Narendra Sawaikar, claiming both "managed to wriggle out of communal riot cases."

Talking to reporters here today, Goa's Congress spokesperson Pratima Coutinho said Sawaikar who is contesting from South Goa "was charged for 2011 Balli riots, but managed to get charges dropped against him."

Balli, a village in South Goa had witnessed riots between tribals and non-tribals which had left two people dead.

Coutinho said both Modi and Sawaikar have an RSS background and "managed to wriggle out of riot charges."

"Modi managed to get a clean chit in the Gujarat riots and Sawaikar in the Balli riots. The latter claimed to the investigating agency that he was just passing by when riots broke out," the Congress spokesperson said.

In December 2013, the local court ordered framing of charges against present Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, then sitting MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar and a tribal leader Prakash Velip.