Reacting to the derogatory remarks which were made by Rahul Gandhi for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday said that it is unfortunate that the Congress leaders have stooped to this level adding that they are jealous of the Prime Minister.

Speaking to ANI, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “In comparison to any country’s leadership and even domestically also, he (PM Modi) is the most popular leader. Because there is a lot of sycophancy in the Congress party, from Kharge to everybody, they are only involved in sycophancy.”

Claiming that ‘Gandhi family’ are jealous about Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister of the country, Pralhad Joshi said, “This is their arrogance. They think that the PM’s chair is only meant for these ‘nakli’ Gandhi families. They are jealous of PM Modi. It is unfortunate that they have stooped to this level but the people of the country will bless the BJP.”

READ | ‘Not ‘Bharat Mata’…’: Pralhad Joshi on words expunged from Rahul Gandhi’s speech

Earlier Election Commission of India on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Jaibkatra’ (Pickpocket) and ‘Pannauti’ remarks on Prime Minister Modi in an election rally.

The BJP wrote a complaint to ECI on November 22 about Rahul Gandhi using derogatory remarks about PM Modi in his rallies.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Barmer, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence in the Narendra Modi stadium was the reason behind India’s World Cup final loss.

“Our guys were playing well. They would have won the World Cup. But ‘Panauti’ made us lose. The TV guys won’t tell you this but people know,” Rahul said while campaigning at Rajasthan’s Barmer on Monday.

The BJP, in its complaint to the ECI, asked to take appropriate action against the Congress leader.

“It will spoil the electoral environment, where abusing, using objectionable and offensive language to defame respectable individuals and spreading false news will become inevitable,” the BJP said.

In another election rally, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and industrialist Gautam Adani work in tandem to “loot the public” in the country.

Addressing an election rally in Bharatpur, Rahul Gandhi said, “The Jebkatra (pickpocket) never comes alone, there are three people. One comes from the front, one from the back and one sees from the distance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s job is to divert your attention. He comes on TV from the front and distracts the public by raising topics of Hindu-Muslim, demonetization, and GST. Meanwhile, Adani comes from behind and takes the money.”

The ECI has asked Rahul Gandhi to explain why action should not be taken against him in the matter till November 25.