Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress, New Delhi

New Delhi: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday hit back at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after the latter remarked on his height and said that she should look in the mirror before teaching a lesson on arrogance.

In a post on X in Hindi, Scindia, a former Congress leader, said the general secretary of the grand old party who accused his family of having a tradition of 'betrayal' is a "part-time leader".

"As she is the part-time leader, I do not expect her to have the ability to understand the difference between these two traditions--the sons of which family sacrificed their lives to protect Mother India from the Afghans, the Mughals and the Britishers--and who gave Indian land as a gift to China. The second generation of which family had imposed an emergency in the greed for power? And even today, the present generation of which family is defaming the country by going to foreign forums?... Before teaching a lesson to the ego that weighs ability with height, please take a look in the mirror yourself." Scindia said.

The union minister further said that the Scindia family has always changed the rule of corruption and those who betray the people.

"The Scindia family has repeatedly changed the rule of corrupt and promise-breaking people, and the people of Madhya Pradesh are going to sweep you (Congress) away from the state," Scindia added.

Notably, the last state assembly polls in 2018 saw the Congress coming to power, with veteran leader Kamal Nath taking oath as the chief minister.

Nonetheless, a political upheaval rocked the state in 2020 after then-Congressman Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with 22 loyalist MLAs, switched over to the BJP camp.

The Congress government fell after being reduced to a minority and the BJP formed the government, with Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as chief minister.

Scindia further urged the people of Madhya Pradesh to 'teach a lesson' to Congress.

"I request the people of Gwalior-Chambal to respond to this insult and low-level speech by voting on November 17 and teaching a lesson to the Congress Party," he added.

Priyanka Gandhi, earlier in the day, attacked Union Minister and her former party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia, saying that the latter is "short in height but is high on arrogance".

Priyanka Gandhi, addressing a public rally in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, also took a swipe at Scindia, calling him a 'traitor'.

She further said that the Scindia family has a tradition of 'betrayal'.

"All of their leaders are a little weird. First, our Scindia...I have worked with him in UP (Uttar Pradesh). Actually, his height is a little short but in arrogance, 'waah bhai waah'...Any worker who used to go to him says that we have to call him Maharaj and if we don't say that, our issues will not be addressed. He followed his family's tradition well. Many have betrayed but they have betrayed the public of Gwalior and Chamba...He made the government fall..." Priyanka Gandhi said.

Madhya Pradesh is one of the five states set to undergo polls in one phase on November 17 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3. (ANI)