India, Nov. 14 -- Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on November 14 called Rahul Gandhi a new-age 'Pittala Dora' (braggart or con artist), a traditional folk character in the Telugu states, over allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is tapping his phone.

Kishan Reddy said that a Pittala Dora refers to someone who indulges in megalomaniac idiocy, often for comic purposes, and that Rahul Gandhi's actions fit the description. "These performers, seen visiting households during the Dussehra festival dressed in colonial hunting attire, are famous for spinning wildly humorous, unbelievable tall tales and making grand, empty boasts," he said.

In a post on the social media platform X, Kishan Reddy said, "Rahul Gandhi is the new-age Pittala Do...