Haryana CM not Khattar, but a 'khacchar': Maharashtra Congress leader

Maharashtra Congress working president, Nitin Raut on Monday called Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar a "khacchar" (mule) for calling Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi a "Mari Hui Chuhiya" (a dead mouse).

Raut's reaction comes a day after Khattar during an election rally in poll-bound Haryana called Sonia Gandhi a "Mari Hui Chuhiya" (a dead mouse). He took a jibe on Sonia Gandhi's appointment as Congress interim president.

Speaking to ANI, Raut said, "The first thing is that Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar is 'Khacchar'. If he has to make such statements, he should make them on Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

He continued, "People had expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the economy would grow along with boosting industries and employment when he came to power. But nothing happened on that front. So, the comment that 'khoda pahad nikla chuha' would suit Modi ji."

Addressing an election rally, Chief Minister Khattar had said, "After losing the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi resigned as the Congress president and started saying that the party should get new president from outside Gandhi family," Khattar said.

"We thought this was good, to move away from nepotism (parivarvad)... But they spent three months moving around the country in search of a new party president. After three months who became the president? Sonia Gandhi. Khoda Pahar Nikli Chuiya, Vo Bhi Mari Hui. This is their condition," added Khattar.

In 2014 elections, BJP government came to power after the party won 47 out of a total of 90 seats in the Assembly elections, while the Congress was restricted to just 15 seats.

Polling in the state will be held on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.