A Karnataka BJP leader has emerged as one among the many to express his objection over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “corrupt No 1” remark for late Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi.

He said although he respected Narendra Modi, he did not agree with the PM’s remarks on the former PM.

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The LTTE planned and assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. He did not die due to corruption allegations. Nobody believes that, even I don’t believe it. I have a lot of respect for Modi ji, but it was not necessary for him to speak against Rajiv Gandhi,” former Union minister Srinivasa Prasad was quoted as saying by ANI.

Prasad, who served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, had joined the Congress and was a state minister. He rejoined the BJP in 2017.

PM Modi, taking a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh on Saturday, had said: “Your father was termed ‘Mr. Clean’ by his courtiers but his life ended as ‘bhrashtachari’ (corrupt) number 1.”

The comment has earned condemnation from a united opposition and several leaders said the statement lowered the dignity of the PMO.

Doubling down his charges of corruption against Rajiv Gandhi, PM Modi on Monday dared the Congress to fight the elections in the name of the former prime minister.

Again on Wednesday, PM Modi fired another salvo at Rajiv Gandhi saying that he used warship INS Viraat as his “personal taxi” for a holiday when he was the PM.