"BJP is trader of Ram name, not worshipper," says Congress leader Pramod Tiwari

Tiwari made the remark while talking to the reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district on Saturday. He was reacting to the BJP leader's remark comparing Congress's devotion to Lord Ram with Kalnemi (an asura in Hindu mythology).

"I don't know what BJP says, I only know that we are Ram devotees and we are Sanatani. BJP is a trader of Lord Ram name, not a worshipper of Ram," Tiwari said.

The Congress leader also claimed that this time the congress government would get such a majority in the state that even if someone betrayed, the government would not collapse.

"Gwalior has always been kind to me. Last time I came, the congress government was formed. Today I have come here again but this time we will improve one thing. Last time our government was formed with a very small majority, but this time we will get such a majority that even if someone betrays, the government will remain in power in the state," he added.

Meanwhile, reacting to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's remark about calling himself black crow for Congress, Tiwari said that he did not care what he (Scindia) called himself.

"Many things of Jyotiraditya Scindia are not understood, no one understands him better than Gwalior. It is not known why he left the party, or what his compulsion was. We don't care what he calls himself. I know that Congress definitely remembers him (Scindia) that we gave him a lot of respect and he should not have betrayed the trust of Congress," Tiwari said.

Notably, the last state assembly polls in 2018 saw the Congress coming to power, with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking oath as the chief minister. Nonetheless, a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020 after then-Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the saffron camp.

The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.

Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to undergo polls in one phase on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. Voters will choose legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. (ANI)