Sonia Gandhi Repeats "Neech Rajniti" Jibe at Narendra Modi

Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh: Just days after Priyanka Gandhi commissioned a huge controversy by accusing Narendra Modi of trading in "neech rajniti" or "low-level politics," her mother, Sonia Gandhi repeated the allegation.

"Caste politics is being played by those who think lowly about a caste or a group (apni soch neech hai), those who are destroying India's composite culture with their thoughts. They are willing to go to any extent for power and there can be no bigger sin than this." said Mrs Gandhi, the Congress president, at a rally in Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, had accused Priyanka, 43, of deriding his background as a member of a lower caste. "It is not a crime to be lower caste," he has said at several rallies. (Narendra Modi's 'Caste' Comeback for Priyanka's 'Neech Rajniti' Comment)

Today, Mrs Gandhi, 67, repeated another accusation levelled by Priyanka against Mr Modi, alleging that he has "insulted the martyrdom of Rajiv Gandhi."

Mrs Gandhi is the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, former prime minister, who was assassinated in 1991. Their son, Rahul, is leading the Congress campaign in an election that is expected to serve up the party's worst performance ever.