Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Friday lashed out at Hillary Clinton and called her “queen of warmongers” after the former US Secretary of State alleged that the Democratic election hopeful was being “groomed” by the Russians as the third-party candidate for the 2020 presidential elections.

Last year, Tulsi Gabbard declared her presidential bid and is a favourite of the Indian- American mainly because of her being a Hindu.

During an interview, Clinton appeared to be floating a conspiracy theory that the Russians are “grooming” Tulsi Gabbard to be the third-party candidate in the presidential elections.

“I’m not making any predictions but I think they’ve got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate,” Clinton said, in an apparent reference to Gabbard.

“She’s the favourite of the Russians. They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far,” she told David Plouffe’s “Campaign HQ” podcast.

In response to Clinton, Gabbard took to Twitter, saying “Great! Thank you @HillaryClinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain”.

Great! Thank you @HillaryClinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain. From the day I announced my candidacy, there has been a …

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) October 18, 2019

She also claimed that there has been a concerted campaign to “destroy my reputation” from the day she announced her candidacy for the US presidential elections.

“We wondered who was behind it and why. Now we know – it was always you, through your proxies and powerful allies in the corporate media and war machine, afraid of the threat I pose,” Gabbard said.

“It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly,” she posted.

… powerful allies in the corporate media and war machine, afraid of the threat I pose.

It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly.

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) October 18, 2019

Last week, President Donald Trump had teased Hillary Clinton for joining the race.

Gabbard is one of the more-than-dozen Democratic leaders who have thrown their hats in the party’s 2020 primary race.

(With inputs from PTI)