‘King of fools’, Modi ‘purchased’ Congress MLAs: Leaders trade barbs in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh

The political temperatures peaked in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday (Nov 13), where assembly elections are scheduled to take place in three days (Nov 17).

With both Congress and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing to rule the central Indian state, the political rallies conducted by these two parties witnessed Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi trading barbs at each other.

While Rahul Gandhi raked up the issue of BJP poaching Congress MLAs, Modi made a personal jibe at the Gandhi scion.

'BJP poaching MLAs'

Addressing a rally in Vidisha city, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi accused Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of "purchasing" his party's MLAs and “stealing” government in Madhya Pradesh.

He was referring to the rebellion of 22 Congress MLAs that led to the collapse of the Kamal Nath government in 2020.

"Five years back, all of you elected the Congress party to the government. You did not elect BJP but the Congress party. After that, BJP leaders -- Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Amit Shah -- purchased MLAs and stole the elected government of Madhya Pradesh," he said in a poll rally in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha.

"By giving crores of rupees and purchasing MLAs of the Congress party, your decision, the voice of your heart was crushed by the BJP leaders, by the prime minister. You were cheated," he added.

Gandhi vowed that the Congress would "chase away" the BJP in Madhya Pradesh.

'Congress has already accepted defeat'

Modi, on the other hand, indirectly referred Rahul as ‘king of fools’ over his remark during a rally on Monday that mobile phones in the people's pockets were "Made in China" and they should rather be "Made in Madhya Pradesh".

"A 'mahagyani' (great sage) from Congress yesterday said people of India have 'Made in China' phones...moorkhon ke sardar (king of fools)...in which world do they live. They have the disease of not seeing their country's progress. India has become the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the world," the PM said.

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He further said that some Congress leaders have already accepted defeat and are not even campaigning for votes.

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"Congress leaders don't know what they will say to people. The Congress has accepted that their fake promises don't stand a chance in front of Modi guarantees," he said.

"This election is to stop corruption and loot by Congress in Madhya Pradesh," Modi said.