Elections 2023: A slugfest has begun between the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and Congress over a notice sent to Rahul Gandhi by the Election Commission of India for his remarks against PM Narendra Modi. The Congress has said it would give an appropriate response to the notice, adding that everyone knows what the BJP leaders have said during the election campaign. Now, the BJP has also intensified its attack and called Gandhi an "irresponsible" person who speaks "very low-level language".


Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said people know what the CMs of the five poll-bound states and BJP leaders said during the campaign.


The ECI issued a show cause notice to the Congress MP over his 'panauti' (unlucky), 'pickpocket' and 'loan-waiver' remarks targeting PM Modi. The EC said the remarks were in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Rahul made the comments during a rally in Rajasthan. The top poll body said it received a complaint from the BJP against Rahul Gandhi.


On the question of EC notice, Gehlot said, "There will be a proper response to the notice. Everyone knows what the five CMs and other leaders (of BJP) said during election campaigning. We will respond to the notice."






Meanwhile, the BJP called Gandhi a "frustrated and jealous" person. "He thinks that only his family has the right to govern the country. He is sitting jobless since last one decade. He is facing a case for looting the country's assets. He has no words other than abusing the PM. This shows his feudal mindset. He is intolerant," Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.






Union Minister Pralhad Joshi too condemned the statement calling it very "irresponsible" on the part of the Wayanad MP.






"Rahul Gandhi is most irresponsible and speaks very low-level language. He has once again shown that he can stoop to any level...I strongly condemn the statement of Rahul Gandhi. Congress President should apologise on behalf of the party," Joshi said.


Poster War Between Congress And BJP Over 'Panauti' Jibe


Another battle in the form of posters has begun between the two parties as well. Congress referred to the PM as "Panauti-e-Azam" and in a poster while the BJP hit back by calling the entire Gandhi family a 'panauti (unluck)'.


The Congress put out a poster on X in which the PM could be seen behind a curtain with the words "PANAUTI-E-AZAM" written on it.






Hitting back at the Congress, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla put out another poster which had the names of "Priyanka, Rahul, Sonia, Rajiv, Nehru, Robert and Indira" written and the term "PANAUTI" highlighted using the letters of the names of the Gandhi family members mentioned in the poster.


"Ye hain Bharat ke liye asli Panauti (these are the real Panautis for Bharat)," the poster headline says.


In a post on X, the BJP leader said, "Bharat ki asli PANAUTI -- P-Parivarvaad (dynastic politics), A- Aatankwaad (terrorism), N- Nepotism, A- Absolute corruption, U- Underperforming economy, T- Tushtikaran (appeasement), I - Ignoring National int for votebank."






Notably, Rahul Gandhi had said "PM means Panauti Modi" on Tuesday while referring to India's loss to Australia in the Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, reported PTI. 


 READ | 'Rahul A Fighter, Will Give Dignified Reply': NCP's Supriya Sule On ECI Notice To Congress Leader