The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday accused the Congress of disrespecting its President Mallikarjun Kharge after a video showed the party chief waiting outside the room where Priyanka Gandhi was filing her nomination.
A video was shared by BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who accused the Congress of disrespecting a veteran Parliamentarian and Dalit leader.
"It’s deeply disheartening to witness the disrespect shown towards a veteran Parliamentarian and Dalit leader like Shri @kharge Ji by the so-called Holy Trinity in Wayanad today. Whether it’s the President of AICC or PCC, does the Family take pride in humiliating those they treat as mere rubber stamps?" Himanta said in a tweet.
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla attacked Congress saying the party puts family first and added that it was sad to see such the insult of Congress president.
"Sad to see such insult of Congress president Shri Kharge ji #Wayanad. They did it to Kumari Selja too. They did it to Sitaram Kesri. Congress defeated Ambedkar ji too. Rahul said he will end reservations too," the BJP leader said.
What Unfolded In Collector's Office On Nomination Day?
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra filed her nomination on Wednesday for her maiden electoral battle from Wayanad for the Lok Sabha bypoll after a massive roadshow in Kalpetta.
The Congress leader was by accompanied by her mother and Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, brother Rahul, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge among others for the November 13 bypoll.
According to a report in India Today, Priyanka Gandhi was scheduled to arrive at the district collector's office in Kalpetta to file her nomination at 1 pm. The Congress leader was running behind schedule and left the rally midway while Mallikarjun Kharge was speaking.
Priyanka Gandhi submitted her first set at 1:25 pm and soon after Sonia Gandhi arrived at the Collector's office. Kharge and KC Venugopal arrived minutes later, but they were not allowed to enter the office as the paper was being scrutinised by the collector, the report said.
The report added that once the scrutinising process was complete, Robert Vadra and Priyanka's son went out and Kharge entered the collector's office during the submission of the second set of nomination papers.