Priyanka hits back at Varun, says it is war of ideologies & not family tea party

NEW DELHI: In a quick response to her cousin's rebuttal, Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Varun Gandhi saying, "It's not a family tea party but a war of ideologies."

"I strongly disagree with Varun's views. It's a betrayal of my family," said Priyanka Gandhi. This is not the first time that Priyanka Gandhi has targeted Varun Gandhi. She has earlier said that Varun Gandhi had gone "astray" and suggested that voters in Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh from where he is BJP's Lok Sabha candidate should not vote for him.



Watch: It is war of ideologies & not family tea party, says Priyanka Gandhi



In a point-by-point veiled rebuttal to his cousin, Varun Gandhi had said, "My inherent decency and large-heartedness should not be seen as weakness." Stating that he has never crossed the 'Lakshman rekha' of decency, Varun Gandhi said, "I have always viewed other's respect as my own, whether it is member of my family or senior leader from any party."

"Personal criticism deviates us from crucial issues," said Varun Gandhi after filing his nomination from the Sultanpur constituency. "It is my request to all that instead of personal attacks, we debate unemployment, corruption, poverty illiteracy," Varun Gandhi said. "Let us try to raise the level of discourse rather than lowering it," Varun Gandhi hit out. Varun Gandhi also released a press statement on the same.

Below is the full statement of his press release:





Varun's mother and BJP leader Maneka Gandhi has also hit out at Priyanka, saying the country will decide who has gone on the wrong path. "If he has gone astray while serving the country, the country will decide," she said when asked for her reaction to Priyanka's comment last week.

At a meeting with Congress workers in Amethi on Saturday, Priyanka appeared to ask people not to vote for the BJP leader, who is contesting from the adjacent Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat in UP. Varun is a sitting MP from Pilbhit.



Watch: Don't see inherent decency as weakness, says Varun Gandhi

>

"He (Varun Gandhi) is definitely from my family, he is my brother. But he has gone astray. When a young one in the family chooses the wrong path, then the elders show them the right path, the right way. I urge all of you to show my brother the right path," Priyanka had said in what could probably be one of the first attacks by her on her estranged cousin Varun.

(With inputs from PTI)