It's 'tigers vs monkeys' in 2019: BJP minister animal analogy stirs row

Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde on Friday compared opposition parties to 'crows, monkeys and foxes', among other animals who are uniting to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

While addressing a gathering in Karnataka's Karwar district, the BJP leader referred Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'tiger'.

He also urged the audience to vote carefully for the upcoming elections in 2019.

"On one side crows, monkeys, foxes and others have come together, while on the other side we have a tiger. In 2019, choose to elect the tiger," Hegde said.

Further attacking the Congress, Hegde said that everyone in the gathering was sitting on plastic chairs only because of the grand old party's rule.

"We are sitting on plastic chairs isn't it? (He asked the audience). This is due to Congress rule, had we (BJP) ruled for 70 years, you would have been sitting on silver chairs," Hegde noted.

Meanwhile, the ruling Congress and JD-S in Karnataka have demanded that the BJP sack Hegde from the Central Cabinet.

Hegde is known for making headlines due to his controversial statements.

During the Karnataka assembly polls recently, Hegde had dubbed Congress president Rahul Gandhi as a 'fake Hindu'.

Also in December 2017, Hegde kicked up a controversy by mocking 'secularists' and said that he respects the Constitution but "it will be changed in the days to come".

The opposition parties later demanded his sacking for his remarks on the Constitution.

Hegde is a five-time Lok Sabha member from Uttara Kannada.