New Delhi: Bharat Rashtra Samithi lawmaker K Kavitha hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Christmas morning, reviving jabs from before last month's Telangana election - in which the Congress thumped the BRS.
She mocked him as "Election Gandhi", and demanded he clarify his stand on controversial remarks by members of the party-led INDIA opposition bloc, including the 'Sanatana Dharma' row from September.
"We are witnessing unfortunate statements today from many political leaders. This process to gain votes from a few sections will ultimately divide the country in ways we cannot imagine. For example, when some parties talk about 'Sanatana Dharma', or insult labourers who clean toilets," she declared.
The 'Sanatana Dharma' swipe was in reference to a remark by Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and the "insult labourers" bit was about a 2019 clip of DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, in which he seemed to speak disparagingly about people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar coming south for jobs.
Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK is allied with the Congress; both are part of the INDIA bloc.
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Mr Stalin's remark drew crude comments from BJP leaders, including ex-Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who called him "Hitler" and declared "his mindset... as dirty as malaria".
READ | "Like Hitler...": BJP On DMK Leader's 'Sanatana Dharma' Remark
The daughter of BRS boss and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, Ms Kavitha declared "these statements should not be taken lightly" and said, "If Rahul Gandhi, who talks about 'Bharat Jodo'... if he took these seriously from the beginning, when 'Sanatana Dharma' was insulted and crores across India were hurt, then maybe the other statements would not have been made."
"He is answerable to the people of this nation and I call him 'Election Gandhi' because he never works except during elections. So I request him now... because Lok Sabha election is coming. Tell the people you are not disrespectful of labourers and that people can't stand up in Parliament and insult a bunch of states. You should stand up, and not only do 'PR' with 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', but say this is wrong."
The sharp comments come a few short weeks after the BRS, which had ruled Telangana since 2014, was routed. The state saw high-voltage campaigns from not just these two parties, but also the BJP, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi making multiple appearances as part of its 'Mission South' plan.
The Congress and the BRS traded bitter jabs; a week before polling she claimed Congress leaders attacked the BRS candidate from the Bodhan seat because they were "insecure" about their chances.
The seat was won by the Congress' Sudarshan Reddy. The BRS' Mohd Shakil Aamir finished second.
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The two also traded "dynastic politics" jibes - borrowed from the BJP.
In the run-up to the state election, the BJP and BRS also exchanged jabs - about an alliance. It all began after the PM declared KCR had, in the past, attempted to join the National Democratic Alliance, which is led by the BJP. Mr Modi said he told the BRS, "... 'we won't cheat the people of Telangana'."
READ | PM Claims KCR Wanted To Join NDA, Son Hits Back: "We're Not Mad To..."
Days later KT Rama Rao, KCR's son, claimed it was, in fact, the other way around, and that the BJP had sought an alliance with his father's party. Mr Rama Rao shared some newspaper clippings to back up his claim - that then BJP Telangana chief K Laxman offered support for the 2018 election.
READ | 'BJP Had Sent Feelers For Alliance In 2018': KCR's Son On PM's Claim
However, now that the BRS is out of power in Telangana, Ms Kavitha's comments are being seen by some as a second outreach attempt to the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha election due in four months.
With input from agencies
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