Yogi-Rahul row: UP CM shouldn't pass comments against a national leader

The Congress party on Saturday chastised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for mocking their party vice president Rahul Gandhi and urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to not ridicule a national leader of Gandhi's stature.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said the BJP must not forget that the grand old party won more seats than BJP in Punjab, Manipur and Goa under Gandhi's leadership.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not able to handle Gujarat anymore and out of insecurity and fear he is using Yogi Adityanath to add fuel to the fire. I think he is forgetting that they contested the Punjab, Manipur and Goa elections against Rahul ji and Congress had won more seats than BJP. Making such statements against a national leader is not right. What if I comment something bad about Amit Shah or Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde reminded the BJP of Nanded Municipal polls where Congress marked its victory after Rahul campaigned for it. "This is false. Congress' victory in the Nanded Municipal polls is the evidence of the fact that Rahul ji's presence made us win," he added.

Adityanath on Friday cornered Rahul, saying whenever he takes the onus of campaigning for his candidates, his party loses. "If Rahul Gandhi is campaigning, it seals a loss for the Congress," Adityanath said, at rally in Gujarat's Valsad.

-ANI