Priyanka Vadra and Varun Gandhi Priyanka Vadra and Varun Gandhi

The battle between the Gandhi cousins - Varun and Priyanka Vadra - intensified with both of them making fresh attacks on each other on Tuesday.

Responding to BJP leader Varun Gandhi's remark, Priyanka called it an "ideological war" with her estranged 34-year-old cousin as she also accused him of betraying her family. Smriti Irani asks Priyanka Gandhi: Should Varun follow path of Cong's scams?

Priyanka, 42, was talking to media on her arrival in Fursatganj, which falls in the constituency of her mother Sonia Gandhi, Rae Bareli.

"This is not a family tea party, this is an ideological war... It is a betrayal with my family," Priyanka said when asked about Varun's latest statement that he gave after filing his nomination as a BJP candidate from Sultanpur.

"My father died for the unity of this country", Priyanka said. Maneka hits out at Priyanka for remarks against Varun

Earlier, Varun hit back at Priyanka, alleging that she had crossed the "Lakshman Rekha of decency" with her remarks that he has gone "astray" and said that his "decency and large-heartedness" should not be construed as a weakness by anyone.

Priyanka had attacked Varun in her speech in Amethi last week and suggested that he should be defeated and shown the right path. Priyanka says she never wanted to contest against Narendra Modi

"He 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," she had said.

Priyanka's remarks had invited immediate response from Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi who had said, "If he has gone astray while serving the country, the country will decide."