New Delhi, June 27: Newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti has warmed to Sushma Swaraj after initially taking a dig at the external affairs minister for being apparently sidelined by the Prime Minister, describing her as "most competent" in a tweet.

On Friday, Bharti tweeted: "Sadly, in all PM @narendramodi foreign policy efforts, seasoned MEA @SushmaSwaraj is conspicuously absent. At least this is what it appears!"

But in reply to a comment later, Bharti, daughter of Lalu Prasad, said: "@SushmaSwaraj is easily most competent in the Govt." The young RJD MP's comment elicited a response from Sushma: "Welcome to Rajya Sabha @MisaBharti. I am happy you are interested in foreign affairs. We will discuss all issues of foreign policy."

Traditionally in India, Prime Ministers have directed foreign policy, handpicking key advisers and the foreign secretary, though the top diplomat officially reports to the foreign minister. But under Modi, Sushma has largely been left out not just from the foreign-policy-making process but also from its execution.

Senior diplomats perceived as close to her have found themselves relegated to marginal posts, while some,like former foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, have been fired.

The exchange between Bharti and Sushma represents a recurring theme the Opposition has used to target the Modi government. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh too has in the past accused Modi of sidelining Sushma, who had once opposed Modi's anointment as the face of the BJP's 2014 poll campaign.

Sushma still enjoys the goodwill of several senior diplomats, and stripped of any major policy-making role, has tried to carve a niche for herself as a diplomatic trouble-shooter - where allowed by the Prime Minister.

When African diplomats threatened to boycott a government event after attacks on African students in New Delhi, it was Sushma's intervention that eventually doused their anger. Whenever Modi's policy towards Pakistan has hit a wall, the government fronted Sushma to defend its approach and offer Islamabad a public olive branch.

But when Sushma was hospitalised two months ago after suffering a bout of pneumonia, Modi made it clear that he did not consider her crucial enough to put key diplomatic tasks on hold. She couldn't undertake key trips but Modi sent finance minister Arun Jaitley to Japan and commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman to Myanmar.

Sushma's husband Swaraj Kaushal worked with Lalu Prasad and the socialists during the Emergency and defended George Fernandes in the Baroda Dynamite case.

Bharti posted a picture of her along with Sushma and said: "@SushmaSwaraj Plenty 2 learn frm ur exp & statesmanly conduct. Seek ur blessings 2 carve a pol. path similar to urs." Asked about the tweets, Bharti said: "She is paying the price for all the Prime Minister's nationalist image-building. The Prime Minister has encroached on her role. I have not spoken to her yet but will do once Parliament starts."