Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 7 (ANI): BJP spokesperson NV Subhash on Tuesday slammed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying she was shedding 'crocodile tears' for people of Keralam living in the Gulf region amid the West Asia conflict.

Speaking to ANI, NV Subhash called Priyanka Gandhi's speech in Keralam an attempt to garner votes in the 2026 Keralam Assembly election. He also lauded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's diplomacy for bringing back several Indians stuck in Europe and West Asia amid the ongoing wars across the globe.

The BJP leader said, 'Today, the Gandhi family is shedding crocodile tears for getting some votes. So many wars that have happened in the Gulf, Congress leaders have never made a courtesy visit to people suffering there or have made any attempt to bring them back to Keralam. Now with elections around the corner, Priyanka Gandhi is making such statements.'

'The Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, through the diplomatic channels, made sure that students stuck due to the Russia-Ukraine war were flown back to their respective states. Many people have made safe passage back to India from the Gulf region. They are looking at PM Modi for his strong leadership,' he added.

This comes after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a public meeting in Malappuram, expressed concern over the safety of people of Keralam living in West Asia amidst the war, which began with the United States-Israel's strikes against Iran on February 28.

The Congress MP said, 'In December, I was travelling to America to meet one of my cousin sisters who was very unwell, and I was passing through Dubai, so I was carrying two bags, it was quite heavy, and suddenly somebody came. A nice gentleman came who worked in the airport, and he picked up my bags, and he said hello to me, put my bags on the security check very nicely and very courteously. I asked him, where are you from? And he said, I'm from Kerala. I felt so proud.'

'When the war broke out in the Middle East, my first thoughts were with all those young men and women who are far away from their relatives. And as a mother myself, I was thinking how their parents, how their sisters and brothers here in Kerala must be worried sick about them, wondering how they are going to manage? Are they going to be safe? Are they going to be secure? Will they be able to come back home to us?' she added.

The polling for Keralam Legislative Assembly elections will take place on April 9, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 4. (ANI)