Vijayashanti's shocking comment sparked a buzz on social media on Saturday evening.

Highlights "PM Modi appearing as terrorist": actress-turned-politician Vijayashanti

PM is "scaring" people, she said referring to decisions like notes ban

The comment sparked a buzz on social media, with even a response from BJP

A Congress leader in Telangana delivered a hugely controversial statement on Saturday, attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of party chief Rahul Gandhi.

"Every person is scared of which bomb Modi will drop at which minute. He is appearing like a terrorist. Instead of loving his people, he is scaring them. This is not a characteristic of a Prime Minister," Vijayashanti, an actress-turned-politician, said, referring to decisions like demonetisation. Rahul Gandhi was on the stage when Vijayashanti made the remarks at a rally in Shamshabad.

This is the latest comment to join a series of shockers in the acrimonious campaign for next month's national election. Vijayashanti's comment was a reminder to many critics of the row triggered by veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's use of the word "neech" to target PM Modi in 2017 before the Gujarat elections. The 77-year-old leader was rebuked by Mr Gandhi and suspended from the Congress for eight months.

The BJP responded with a tweet from its official account.

Now Congress is truly raising concerns & worries of terrorists in Pakistan.



Welcome to New India.

Yeh Dar Acha Hai. https://t.co/5QJpdCv2t4 - BJP (@BJP4India) March 9, 2019

Saying that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections were essentially a battle between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi at the rally, Vijayashanti also claimed the Congress chief was "fighting for the survival of democracy", while the Prime Minister has "ruled like a dictator" during his tenure in a manner that has killed democracy and troubled the people.

"He wants to rule like that in the next five years, but people will not give him that opportunity," the former parliamentarian said in Telugu.

On all fronts like demonetisation, the Goods and Services Tax, reclaiming black money and the Pulwama terror attack, he was ''scaring'' people, Vijayashanti said.

She also said that a vote for the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti or TRS would go to BJP as "Modi and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao are one." Chief Minister Rao is extending support to the BJP as PM Modi had helped him win last year's assembly elections in Telangana, she claimed.