India: 'Poison politics' continues in Karnataka, BJP MLA calls Sonia Gandhi 'vishkanya'

A day after Indian National Congress (INC) President Mallikarjun Kharge likened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a 'venomous snake', a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the poll-bound southern Indian State of Karnataka has returned the favour. Basanagouda Yatnal, an MLA from Bijapur City called Congress' former president Sonia Gandhi a'vishkanya'(poisonous woman) and an agent of China and Pakistan.

“The entire world has accepted PM Modi. America welcomes PM with a red carpet and he’s attained the status of a global leader. The Congress compares him to a cobra and says he’s poisonous. Congress leaders are dancing on the orders of Sonia Gandhi and making such comments. She is a Vishkanya? She is an agent for China and Pakistan, who destroyed India,” said Yatnal while addressing a poll rally in Koppal.

Congress responds

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was the first leader to respond to Yatnal's attack.

“A Karnataka BJP MLA has called Sonia Gandhi a 'vishkanya'. People want to know what PM Modi and Amit Shah have to say on this issue,” he said.

Meanwhile, Randeep Singh Surjewala, general secretary of All India Congress Committee, Karnataka said BJP was showing its ugly side, fearing a rout in the election.

“Facing a complete rout in the assembly elections, BJP leadership is frustrated to the core and is hurling filth and muck, which is the product of their ugly character and dirty mindset of denigrating and insulting the Congress Leadership. They have lost all sense of propriety, political balance and even a remote iota of decency and decorum."

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal took to Twitter and launched another attack on BJP.

“Every election, they hurl new abuses to insult Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, who has led her entire life with utmost dignity and grace. BJP continues to stoop to new lows, with their filthy language against our leaders. Modi ji, do you endorse these words?” he tweeted.

Kharge apologises

On Thursday, it was the leader of opposition Kharge who crossed the line and insulted the PM. After clamouring from the BJP, Kharge apologised and tweeted, “My statement was neither for PM Modi personally nor for any other person, but for the ideology he represents."

The trading of uncouth statements from both parties comes days ahead of the assembly election. The state goes to poll on May 10 with the results set to come out three days later. With elections due in the Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh later this year, both parties are aiming to wrestle for the initial advantage.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: