Yogi Adityanath Fires Back at Mallikarjun Kharge Over 'Terrorist' Remark

In a brazen display of confidence, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hit back at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, refuting the "terrorist" label and reiterating his focus on the nation.

Addressing a rally in Achalpur, Maharashtra, amidst the state's impending assembly elections, Adityanath reiterated that he is a yogi with the country at the forefront of his mind. In stark contrast to Kharge's previous criticism, Adityanath emphasized that Congress president's party politics "comes first for you".

"You have been hurling accusations at me for the past three days, but I am willing to listen. As a yogi and a devotee of democracy, I prioritize the nation above all," Adityanath said in a thinly veiled rebuke of Kharge.

Taking swipes at the Congress party's "katenge toh batenge" slogan, or the "if divided, we will be wiped out", Adityanath countered that such divisions would only spark catastrophes like Ganapati poojaa being disrupted and daughters feeling the brunt of safety concerns. He insisted there is no "Love Jihad" or "Land Jihad" in Uttar Pradesh today.

Adityanath's response has sparked a heated exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, with each side trading barbs on social media. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera had previously called Aditynath's remarks by an insult from Kharge a "terrible example of appeasement politics" attributed to the Congress party.

However, in his rebuttal to Adityanath's comeback, Khera claimed that Congress is solely focused on Bharat Jodo. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalaa countered that while Kharge was warning about sanyasi attire being brought into politics, party leaders who wear safforn apparel have nothing to say when their counterparts do.

The stage is now set for an intense fight in Maharashtra as the polls loom over the horizon – a single-phase election will take place on November 20.