Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of peddling division along lines of religion, gender and caste.
Speaking at the Times Now Summit, she emphasized that while the opposition fixates on issues of caste and religion, the BJP remains steadfast in its commitment to development, focusing on crucial areas such as health, infrastructure and education.
"What is Mr Gandhi offering you? He is offering you division based on religion, gender, caste. He wants you to regress so that somebody could give him one shot at being the king of the day," she said, referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi repeatedly raising the issue of caste census.
Ms Irani didn't mince words, asserting, "When fools try to fool others, they only end up manifesting how foolish they truly are."
Drawing a sharp contrast between the agendas of the BJP and the Congress, Ms Irani said, "The opposition is asking you to fight about caste, religion, and what is BJP talking about - development."
The BJP leader also seized upon the Congress' strategic decision to announce Mr Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad, questioning the party's commitment to its traditional strongholds of Amethi and Raebareli.
By choosing to contest from Wayanad, Ms Irani argued the Congress revealed its hesitancy to fully invest in regions where it once held sway, referring to Amethi where Mr Gandhi lost to her in the 2019 polls.
She challenged the Congress' ability to stand independently in battleground constituencies, suggesting that their reliance on alliances signalled a lack of confidence in their own capabilities.
Highlighting the track record of the two parties, Ms Irani pointed out that the Congress had dismissed governments 84 times, whereas the BJP had never resorted to using constitutional instruments to dismiss a government.
She also underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forward-looking vision for India, contrasting it with the apparent inability of the Congress to get its own house in order.
"PM Modi talks about what we will be as a nation in 2047, and the Congress cannot get its own act together in 2024; that is the difference," Ms Irani remarked.
She cited the example of the Congress' reluctance to announce a candidate from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, a move she characterized as unprecedented in the Indian political history.
Ms Irani also took aim at individual leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging financial improprieties and accused him of diverting funds meant for public welfare into election campaigns.
Addressing derogatory comments against actress and BJP's Mandi candidate Kangana Ranaut by Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, Irani criticized what she termed the party's "political strategy" of character assassination and sexualized attacks when faced with dissenting voices.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
