Didn't mean to insult, forgot her name: Kamal Nath explains 'item' jibe for Imarti Devi

Speaking to media persons, Kamal Nath said: "I said something, it wasn't to insult anyone. I just didn't remember the (person's) name... this list (in his hand) says item no.1, item no.2. Is this an insult?"

His arch-rival and successor Shivraj Singh Chauhan held a fast in protest of the remark and wrote to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Speaking of Shivraj Chouhan, Nath said, "He is looking for excuses". "Kamal Nath doesn't insult anyone, he'll only expose you with truth."

During his address in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, Kamal Nath triggered a controversy calling Imarti Devi an "item", drawing strong reactions from the ruling dispensation.

".. What is her name? Why should I take her name? You know her better and you all should have warned me earlier. What an item! What an item!" Nath said, referring to Imarti Devi, who had switched from the Congress to BJP.

Countering his former party colleague, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said, "First Digvijaya Singh had said something about Meenakshi Natrajan, now Kamal Nath called BJP's Imarti Devi an "item". Earlier Ajay Singh had called her "jalebi". Congress never respects women."

The attack on Nath also came from Imarti Devi who has urged Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to remove the veteran politician from her outfit.

"I request Sonia Gandhi to remove him from her party," said Imarti Devi.