Yogi Adityanath: Congress suffering from 'Muslim League virus':

Lucknow, Apr 5 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday named the "Muslim League" a "virus" and guaranteed the Congress was influenced by it, inciting the resistance to answer that it was he who was an "infection" that would be "killed" in the decision.

The tit-for-tat verbal duel was sparked with a tweet from Adityanath a day after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Wayanad in Kerala.

"Muslim League is a virus. If someone is affected by this virus, he can't endure and today main Opposition party Congress is affected by it. Think, if they win what will occur? This virus will spread in the whole country," Adityanath said on Twitter.

The chief minister was obviously referring to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is a long-time member from the Congress-drove United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, comparing it with the pre-Partition Muslim League.

He brought the 1857 movement for freedom and its hero Mangal Pandey.

"In 1857, whole nation battled against Britishers with Mangal Pandey, at that point this Muslim League virus came and spread so that the nation was separated," he said.

"A similar threat is looming over the nation once more. Green flags are by and by rolled. Congress is experiencing Muslim association infection, remain alert," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Responding to Adityanath's statement, Congress representative Randeep Surjewala called the chief minister "Bhogi" (hedonistic) and said the comments were "completely intemperate".

"A virus named 'Bhogi' Adityanath has hung development in the biggest territory of Uttar Pradesh. People of Uttar Pradesh corrected that virus during the by-elections to some Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The virus will be totally eradicated in this Lok Sabha election."

Adityanath had on Thursday blamed Gandhi for having a "secret agenda" in Kerala with the Muslim League, "a similar association" which caused the nation's division.