The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday slammed Congress leader Randeep Surjewala for calling those who support it as 'raakshas' (demons), saying the remarks were a sign of the party's "frustration after failing to launch its prince" - a jibe at Rahul Gandhi.

Randeep Surjewala stoked a major controversy after he termed the BJP and those who vote for it are "raakshas". "The people of BJP and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) are 'raakshas' and those who vote for the party and support them are 'raakshas' too. Today, on this land of the Mahabharata, I curse them (BJP-JJP)," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Several BJP leaders shared a video that captured the Congress general secretary's remarks. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and said that repeated electoral losses have pushed the Congress into irrelevance and such nonsensical comments indicated that the party had decided to remain permanently in opposition.

"Having failed to launch the prince again and again, the Congress has now started abusing the public," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said that the Congress party's present outlook has led to erosion of public support. Malviya opined that the grand old party will have to face more humiliation in the people's court.

"Rahul Gandhi's close aide Surjewala is calling those who vote for BJP "demons". He also bestows curses. Due to the mental state of the Congress, its courtiers, and its elite, the party and its leaders have already lost popular support. But for now, they have yet to face humiliation in the court of public opinion," Amit Malviya tweeted in Hindi.

Following a massive uproar over his remarks, Randeep Surjewala issued a clarification and said that the BJP was clinging to words to murder the issues raised by him."This government repeatedly tries to hide its failures behind emotional issues. If those who have thrown society into the fire of hate and killed the dreams of youngsters are any less than demons?" he asked.