Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday hit back at the former Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav (now with the BJP) and threatened to file a defamation case against Mr. Jadhav for criticising his style of functioning.

“Mr. Jadhav questioned my working style and my behaviour. Is it not a character assassination?”

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, two days after Mr. Jadhav threatened to file a defamation case against Mr. Priyank Kharge for alleging that he had taken a bribe of ₹50 crore to join the BJP, Mr. Priyank Kharge said: “I am ready to face his defamation case and I will also file a defamation case against him for passing derogatory remarks against me”.

Reacting to Mr. Jadhav’s attacks against his father M. Mallikarjun Kharge and himself , he said that Mr. Jadhav had betrayed the people of Chincholli Assembly constituency by tendering his resignation as legislator recently.

“Instead of making allegations against Congress leaders, Mr. Jadhav should answer to the voters who elected him,” he added.

Rubbishing allegations by Mr Jadhav that the Congress leaders wrongly influenced Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar over his resignation, Mr. Priyank Kharge said an decision on the resignation has been left to the discretion of the Speaker. Mr. Kumar will take a decision based on Constitutional prerogatives, he added.

Replying to a question, Mr. Priyank Kharge also dropped hints that several leaders from different political parties will join the Congress during a public rally on March 18 in Kalaburagi.