New Delhi (India), May 1, 2023: Congress leader Priyank Kharge’s recent derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi have sparked controversy just days after his father Mallikarjun Kharge’s “poisonous snake” comment. Speaking at a campaign rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Priyank referred to PM Modi’s recent visit to Kalaburgi and said, “What to do with such a ‘nalayak beta’? How do we run the household with such a ‘nalayak beta’?”
The BJP strongly objected to his comment, with spokesperson Prakash S stating, “By calling PM Modi ‘a useless son’, Priyank Kharge is outdoing the comment made by his father Mallikarjun Kharge.”
BJP leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy also raised his objections, stating, “They have a bad mouth. Is it necessary for elections?” While he held Kharge in high regard, he expressed his disappointment, saying, “He was not like this in Bengaluru, but I don’t know what happened in Delhi. Now his son has started the same thing. He called our PM some bad filthy words.” He believes that this will certainly impact the upcoming elections, and the people will decide.
Meanwhile, Congress has come forward to defend its leader, with Karnataka Congress leader Sanket Yenagi explaining that Priyank Kharge made the statement because “PM claims to be a son of a Banjara but did nothing for them.” Earlier, Mallikarjun Kharge’s “poisonous snake” remark had caused a stir, although he later clarified that his comments were directed at the ruling BJP, not the Prime Minister himself.
The latest developments are likely to add fuel to the fire ahead of the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls. The opposition BJP is expected to use these comments to their advantage, while the Congress party will attempt to downplay them. In any case, the incident highlights the contentious nature of politics in the region and the country as a whole.
