Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole stoked a controversy just a week ahead of the crucial Maharashtra Assembly elections. Patole was campaigning in Akola where he said it was time to “make BJP a dog”. “I would like to ask, would you – the OBCs of Akola district, vote for BJP that calls you ‘kutta’?…It is time to make BJP a ‘kutta’,” the senior party leader said.

#WATCH | #MaharashtraElection2024 | Akola: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole says, “I would like to ask, would you – the OBCs of Akola district, vote for BJP that calls you ‘kutta’?…It is time to make BJP a ‘kutta’…” (11.11.2024)

(Video: Social media of Nana Patole) pic.twitter.com/fxZFRxRiXr

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2024

“This party came to power with a bundle of lies and now the time has come to show its place. BJP people consider themselves God and Vishwaguru. In Maharashtra, Fadnavis considers himself God. They should be shown their place,” Patole added.

MVA Leaders Stooping To New Low: BJP

BJP leader Atul Bhatkalkar hit back and said all MVA leaders are every day stooping to a new low. “They are using foul language because they understand that their defeat is certain,” he added.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said Nana Patole is “frustrated”. “Patole is frustrated because when he travelling on the ground, he can understand that the Congress is not going to form government in Maharashtra. But in his frustration, he has said that he wants to tame BJP, as dogs,” Bhandari

#WATCH | Delhi: On Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole’s recently reported remark on BJP, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari says, “Nana Patole is frustrated because when he travelling on ground, he can understand that the Congress is not going to form Government in… pic.twitter.com/FmMSaicJ4t

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2024

“This shows the ‘Emergency’ mindset of the Congress party that it wants to tame its rivals and bring them under control, it wants to file cases against them and silence them. If they come to power in Maharashtra, they will file cases against whoever speaks against them. That is why, we say that the Congress party wants to damage the Constitution. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution gives you Freedom of Speech. I condemn the word used by Nana Patole but it also shows their inferiority complex,” the BJP spokesperson added.

BJP national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam said, “While using such words, he should remember that they kept their party’s national president outside like untouchables during nomination filing…You insulted your own national president…We know how much you respect your MPs and MLAs. How will someone who doesn’t respect their national president respect someone else?”

Voting for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will take place on November 20. The counting will take place on November 23.