On the first two days of his campaign in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a lesson or two for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the art of winning over with people in the state.

"Keep your mouth shut and open your ears if you want to win over Tamils," he said while campaigning in Tenkasi district on Sunday.

On Saturday, Rahul said the only way to deal with Tamil Nadu is with love, respect and affection. “I hope the PM would understand this. If you give a little respect, love and affection, they will reciprocate it by giving you back manifold,” he said while addressing a public meeting at Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district on Saturday evening.

“Modi is under the delusion that he can control the people of Tamil Nadu as he controls the corrupt CM. He thinks Tamil Nadu is like his television and that he can pick up the remote control and do whatever he wants in Tamil Nadu. People of Tamil Nadu are going to take out the battery and throw it away," he said in Tuticorin on Saturday.

At this juncture, he said that Modi had not read the history of the people here, unlike him.

(With inputs from agencies)