LS polls: War of words between Cong, BJP leaders intensifies in Kolhapur

The election results will be announced on June 4 by the Election Commission of India

Congress leader Satej Patil and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dhananjay Mahadik engaged in a war of words in Kolhapur in western Maharashtra on Tuesday after Patil warned the opposition not to obstruct his party's workers while they campaigned.

If opponents created obstructions, he will confront them with a stick, Patil reportedly said.

Mahadik responded by asking whether Patil wanted start riots by using such language.

"I want to tell the opponents not to mess with us while we campaign. You do your campaign but do not try to mess with us," the Congress leader said.

Mahadik told reporters that nobody was obstructing people from other parties. "Using the language of stick, does he want to start riots here," the BJP MP asked, claiming that Patil was already sensing defeat of his party. In Kolhapur, Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj of Congress is pitted against Shiv Sena's current MP Sanjay Mandlik.