New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday rebutted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims that “non-Nehru-Gandhi leader Sitaram Kesri was thron out of the party”, saying that the latter had himself offered to resign from the post of party President “if Sonia Gandhi was ready to take over”. Asserting that PM Narendra Modi is “wrong” to call Kesari a Dalit, Congress leader Tariq Anwar said that the former party president belonged to Vaish community. Also Read - Reassess COVID Situation, Focus on Micro Containment Zones: PM Modi to CMs of 7 Worst-hit States

“PM Narendra Modi is again wrong as Kesari ji was not a Dalit, he belonged to ‘vaish’ community. Kesari Ji himself offered to resign from post of Congress President if Sonia ji was ready to take over. At that time I was Sitaram Kesari’s political advisor so I’m aware of it,” news agency ANI quoted Tariq Anwar as saying. Also Read - Shaheen Bagh's 82-Year-Old Bilkis Named in Time Magazine's List of 100 Most Influential People

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari also responded to the claims on his Twitter handle. “Kesri was a Bania OBC from Bihar and not a Dalit. However, when has the PM allowed facts or truth to stand in the way?” he said. Also Read - PM Modi to Hold High-level Meeting With CMs of 7 States/UTs Today | What to Expect

While addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund ahead of the assembly elections, PM Modi had alleged that Sitaram Kesri, who was from a “Dalit and exploited community”, was not allowed to complete his term as the Congress president so that Sonia Gandhi could take over the reins of the party. Modi also claimed that Kesri was ousted unceremoniously, “locked in a bathroom” and “thrown out on the footpath”.

“The Congress had said a chaiwala became the prime minister by the grace of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. I challenged them (to show that) when he (Nehru) had established such a democratic and liberal system, then make someone from outside the Gandhi family the Congress president for at least five years,” he said, adding that Kesari was “removed” from his post.

“The country knows that Sitaram Kesri, who was from a Dalit and exploited community, was not allowed to complete his five-year term as the Congress president and was removed from the post,” he had said, adding, “Remember the days when four generations of a family ruled the country. What was the fate of the people? They only thought about the welfare of one family but never about the welfare of people. How can we trust them to fulfil the aspirations of people now.”

The final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, covering 72 Assembly seats, will be held on November 20. The first phase of polling for 18 seats was held on November 12. The results will be announced on December 11.