BJP slams Nana Patole's "dog" jibe, alleges poor treatment of Dalit party President

Gautam on Tuesday reminded Patole of how Congress's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, was reportedly kept "outside like an untouchable" during Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's nomination filing.

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?"

Several BJP leaders too condemned Patole's remarks, attributing them to Congress's frustration ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections. BJP leaders described Patole's words as insulting and reflective of the opposition's desperation.

The controversy erupted when Patole, campaigning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Akola on Monday, commented on the BJP's alleged attitude toward the OBC community. "I want to ask, will the OBC people of Akola district vote for the BJP, who are calling you dogs? It is time to make the BJP a dog now; they have become so arrogant," Patole said.

Earlier in the day, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya responded, saying Patole's remarks show the MVA's "disappointment turning into dejection" ahead of elections. He told ANI, "They are going from disappointment to dejection. Sharad Pawar is saying something; Uddhav Thackeray is verbally abusing the Election Commission. Now, Rahul Gandhi's Congress is calling the BJP a 'kutta' because opinion polls show a clear majority for Mahayuti. So, I can understand their disappointment."

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari also lashed out at Patole, attributing his remarks to frustration over Congress's slim electoral chances. "Nana Patole is frustrated because when he travels on ground, he can understand that the Congress is not going to form a government in Maharashtra. But in his frustration, he has said that he wants to tame the BJP as dogs... 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," Bhandari said.

Bhandari further accused Congress of undermining free speech and the Constitution, referencing other controversial remarks by Congress leaders. "Yesterday, Karnataka Congress leader Zameer Ahmed used the term 'kaala' for his rival. It is a racist term. Today, they are using the term 'kutta'... I can understand the frustration of Nana Patole," he said.

The race-related remarks were also condemned by JD(S), which posted on social media platform X, criticizing Zameer Ahmed Khan for using the term "Kala Kumaraswamy" during a by-election campaign in Karnataka. JD(S) stated, "Housing Minister @BZZameerAhmedK used racial slurs... By this, they have racially insulted black people and committed racial discrimination."

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting on November 23. The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), aims to challenge the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP. (ANI)