New Delhi: Congress on Thursday sought to puncture Uma Bharti's description of herself as Rahul Gandhi's "aunt", saying the 'relation' would cut no ice with people in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh where she is "irrelevant like her party (BJP)".

"Uma may present herself as bua (aunt) of Rahul, but the relation will not help her and BJP in Uttar Pradesh. She has not been accepted by the people of her home state of Madhya Pradesh, why should UP accept her?", party spokesman Rashid Alvi told reporters.

Alvi said the Congress has "full sympathy" for Bharti as her candidature in the UP Assembly polls showed that the BJP has no nominees to field in the elections and no leadership to lead it in the state. Both of them are "irrelevant" in the state, he said.

Dismissing Bharti's attempts to rake up the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, Alvi said the Congress President was not only chief of the ruling party but was the leader of the country.

"Bharti has been ousted from her home state and wants to become a leader in UP", he said, adding that it was a "sorry picture" that the BJP has no leadership in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress attack against Bharti, who has been fielded by BJP from Charkari in Bundelkhand, came close on the heels of the fiery BJP leader hitting back at Rahul for his remarks that she was contesting from UP though she was from MP.

"Sonia Gandhi came from Italy and has been accepted in India. If Italy's Sonia was accepted in India, I am only from Madhya Pradesh. Rahul should remember the background of his mother. Only then he should comment on his bua (aunt)," she said taking a swipe at Rahul.

PTI