New Delhi/IBNS: The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party exchanged sharp barbs Monday over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Muslim League imprint" and "bundle of lies" jibe at his rival's manifesto for the Lok Sabha election.

Reacting to the remark, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the BJP is aware it is going to lose this election and is acting out of fear.

"Modi-Shah's political and ideological ancestors supported the British and Muslim League against the Indians in the Freedom Struggle. Even today, they are invoking the Muslim League against the 'Congress Nyay Patra' guided and shaped according to the aspirations, needs and demands of common Indians," Kharge said in a sharp response.

"Modi-Shah and their Nominated President are today spreading falsehood about the Congress Manifesto. There is a stink of RSS in Modi ji's speeches, BJP's electoral graph is plunging day by day, therefore the RSS has started remembering its best friend-the Muslim League!"

The party has filed a complaint with the Election Commission.

On Saturday, while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, the Prime Minister declared the Congress' manifesto "completely bears the imprint of the Muslim League".

"Congress issued a bundle of lies in its manifesto... every page reeks of attempts to tear India apart. It reflects the thoughts the Muslim League had before independence," the PM had said.

BJP President JP Nadda also repeated the same and said, "Congress has been repeatedly rejected but they are insistent on politics of appeasement. I saw the manifesto and was surprised. Is it their manifesto or that of the Muslim League..."

The Congress party Monday met the Election Commission of India and raised a complaint against PM Modi for making comments against the grand old party alleging that its manifesto is attempting to divide the country and imposing the pre-independence ideology of the Muslim League.

The Congress party delegation composed of Salman Khurshid, Mukul Wasnik, Pawan Khera and Gurdeep Sappal met the Election Commission of India at the Nirvachan Sadan here.

Speaking to the media after meeting the ECI, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said, “We were hurt by the Prime Minister’s speeches during the election rallies that our manifesto is a bundle of lies. You can disagree with a party and criticise it but claiming that a national party that participated in the freedom struggle can write a bundle of lies in the manifesto is not acceptable.

"He has no right to make such remarks against our manifesto. We have written a very good manifesto. We have raised our complaint with the EC."