Cong leader Chakravarty triggers 'South vs North' debate after T'gana win

Congress leader Praveen Chakravarty triggered a controversy Sunday with his remarks that the south-north boundary line is getting "thicker and clearer", as the party edged out the BRS in Telangana to register a second win in the southern region where the BJP is not in power in a single state.

Chakravarty, however, deleted his post on X as it drew sharp reactions from various quarters, with BJP leaders accusing the Congress of promoting divisive politics.

The Congress is facing defeat in three Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh at the hands of the BJP. These went to assembly polls between November 7 and 30 along with Telangana and votes were counted on Sunday.

"The South-North boundary line getting thicker and clearer!" Chakravarty, who is the chairman of the Professionals' Congress and the party's data analytics department, posted on X along with a picture captioned "South Vs North". These have been deleted.

Congress MP from Tamil Nadu Karti Chidambaram on X only posted "the South".

Warning against posts such as that of Chakravarty, Congress sympathiser Tehseen Poonawala said that "just like people did not like the abuse of Sanatan Dharma, they won't tolerate the north-south divide".

In a post on X, he said, "Warning: The north-south divide will backfire! Don't indulge in it and reduce the legacy of the Congress, the first nationalist and the oldest political party of this great nation! Just like people did not like the abuse of Sanatan dharma, they won't tolerate the north-south divide!".

Earlier this year, the Congress wrested power from the BJP in Karnataka. With the Telangana win it has strengthened its base in the south. The Congress is in alliance with the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, but is not part of the government there.

Tagging Chakravarty's post, BJP general secretary B L Santhosh hit back, saying that "Already Sir !!! They always keep two cards ready. Now they have taken out second card Right from the drawing room of 'Bharat Jodo' and 'Mohabbat Ki Dukaan'"

Santhosh also shared a screenshot of Chakravarty's post on X.

C R Kesavan, the great grandson of noted freedom fighter and India's last governor general C Rajagopalachari, who left the Congress to join the BJP earlier this year, said the Congress' "toxic plan is to attack Bharat with north-south divide".

"The dynastic Congress party's agenda to divide Bharat on caste lines and uproot Sanatana dharma, has been outrightly rejected by our people. Now, their toxic plan is to attack Bharat with north-south divide. In 2024, the Congress will be consigned to the dustbin of history," the leader from Tamil Nadu said.