BJP's 'Chota Popat' Jibe at Rahul Gandhi After He Mocks PM Modi's 'Ek ain oh Safe Hain' Slogan

New Delhi: After Rahul Gandhi's swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek hain toh safe hain' slogan, BJP hit back at Congress leer on Monday, calling him “chota popat” which it claimed was coined by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray to mock him.

party also slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his “poisonous snakes should be killed” barb, saying it shows party's "Emergency mindset" which likens rivals to snakes and incites violence against m.

Earlier in day, claiming a link between BJP's slogan and Dharavi redevelopment project being given to ani Group, Gandhi pulled out two posters from a safe he h brought to his press conference in Mumbai -- one featuring a picture of industrialist Gautam ani and PM Modi along with caption "Ek hain toh Safe hain" and anor showing a map of project.

“It was a very low-level press conference. Bringing a safe and creating drama around it. Holding this kind of press conference by so-called top leer of so-called national party does not suit Rahul Gandhi and Congress,” BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra said reacting to Gandhi's jibe.

“Today I say this from this platform and in Rahul Gandhi’s language that 'Chota popat ne kiya hei Congress ko chaupat' (he has ruined Congress). His name is Rahul Gandhi," BJP leer said.

"I saw an interview of Bal Thackeray where he referred to Rahul Gandhi as chota popat. From today onwards, Rahul Gandhi’s name is going to be ‘chota popat’. This name will now be re on every child’s lips in Maharashtra,” he said.

In anor swipe, BJP said on X that Congress keeps anti-national elements safe, and if "we are toger, n Congress is unsafe".

"If Congress is re, n terrorists, Pakistan, Rohingyas and Waqf are safe. If we are one, n Congress is unsafe," it said.

BJP also criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. dressing a rally in Sangli on penultimate day before campaigning for Maharashtra assembly polls concluded, Kharge used "killing poisonous snake" analogy in his speech.

"If re is anything which is politically most dangerous in India is BJP and RSS. y are like poison. If a snake bites, person (who is bitten) dies... such a poisonous snake should be killed," said Kharge.

Flaying Kharge over his remarks, Patra said, “ BJP condemns it”.

“It is mindset of Emergency because of which you liken your rivals with snakes and incite violence by calling for killing m,” he said, asserting that Gandhi and Congress will get a befitting reply from people on November 23, when election results in Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls will be declared.