New Delhi: Barely a month into his tenure as president of the Indian National Congress (INC), the otherwise low-profile Mallikarjun Kharge is taking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) head-on. The octogenarian is also slowly building his brand as a leader from a disadvantaged background who rose through the ranks to hold the reins of a national party — an identity Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assiduously cultivated for himself since 2013.
On 28 November, speaking at a campaign rally in Gujarat’s Dediapada, Kharge — referring to Modi’s angst against the Congress for ‘targeting him personally’ — thundered: “I am also poor…poorer than poor, untouchable. At least somebody drank your tea. Nobody drinks my tea even. And then you say ooh I am poor, they asked me what my stature (haisiyat) is. If you try to garner sympathy like this, it will not work. People are not fools.”
Kharge was alluding to Modi’s oft-repeated reminiscing about his boyhood days as a tea seller.
On Monday, Kharge took another swipe at Modi, questioning why the Prime Minister is the BJP’s face in every election, be it parliamentary, assembly or municipal. How many faces does he (Modi) have, Kharge asked, adding, “Is he like Ravan?”
For much of Tuesday, the Congress and BJP traded barbs over Kharge’s remarks and criticism of him for targeting Modi.
BJP’s Amit Malviya wrote on Twitter: “Unable to take the heat of Gujarat election, pushed to the fringe, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge loses control over his words, calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi “Ravan”. From “Maut ka Saudagar” to “Ravan”, Congress continues to insult Gujarat and it’s son…”
Congress spokespersons Supriya Shrinate and Pawan Khera retorted by accusing the BJP of being “anti-Dalit” for using the word “fringe” for Kharge, a veteran leader from a disadvantaged background.