India, Feb. 4 -- Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu were involved in a sharp verbal confrontation outside the Parliament complex on Wednesday, after Gandhi referred to his former aide as a "traitor", triggering a political spat that later drew in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The exchange took place when the two leaders crossed paths near Parliament. Pointing towards Bittu, who is currently the minister of state for railways, Gandhi remarked, "Here is a traitor walking right by. Take a look at his face." Referring to Bittu's exit from the Congress in 2024 to join the BJP, Gandhi added, "Hello brother, my traitor friend. Don't worry, you will come back (to Congress)," while extending his hand for ...