Book row:Cong hits back at Udayanraje, dubs him 'Ajanata Raja'

Terming BJP leader Udayanraje Bhosale as "Ajanata Raja", Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant on Tuesday hit back at Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendant, saying people of the state do not take criticism by him seriously.

Bhosale, the former Lok Sabha member from Satara, earlier in the day attacked the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress for criticising the BJP over a book comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Maratha warrior king.

Bhosale made the critical comments at the behest of BJP, Sawant said, adding that it was not yet clear why he joined the saffron party, which allegedly committed a "scam" in the Shivaji Maharaj memorial work and "insulted" the warrior king by comparing him with Modi.

"Bhosale is an 'Ajanata Raja' (a king who does not know anything about his subjects)...Mavalas (foot soldiers of Shivaji) like us have proceeded on the path shown by Shivaji Maharaj in a true sense," Sawant said.

Shivaji Maharaj is hailed as the "Janata Raja" (king who knows everything about his subjects and understands them).

"The descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, however, is following Modi's path...Hence, people of Maharashtra will not pay heed to him and not take the criticism by him seriously (Bhosale)," Sawant said.

Earlier in the day, Bhosale condemned the book, titled "Aaj Ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi", written by BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal, and said nobody in the world can be compared to the 17th century Maratha king.

He targeted the Shiv Sena and dared it to remove the word 'Shiv' from its name and rechristen the party as "Thackeray Sena".

The Shiv Sena is led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Bhosale's comments came a day after Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut dubbed Goyal's book as "insulting", and asked the warrior king's descendants to clarify their stand and quit the BJP over the issue.

Bhosale said only Shivaji Maharaj can be called the 'Janata Raja'.

"Calling someone 'Janata Raja' is belittling Shivaji Maharaj. Nobody in the world can be compared to Shivaji Maharaj," Bhosale said, without taking any name.

Notably, NCP chief Sharad Pawar is called as the 'Janata Raja' in political circles.

Bhosale quit the NCP last year and joined the BJP.