A controversy has erupted after a video showed a Congress worker washing the feet of the party's Maharashtra chief Nana Patole before stepping out of a car in Akola district of the state, with the ruling BJP targeting him for "insulting" the workers of his party.

The incident took place on Monday when Patole was at Wadegaon in the district to take part in an event.

The video shows the party worker pouring water on Patole's feet and cleaning them with his hands while the Congress leader is stepping out of the vehicle.

Reacting to the controversy over the episode, Patole said his feet got muddied after taking part in a procession of the holy symbolic footprints of Saint Gajanan Maharaj.

One of the workers put water from a bottle as there was no tap available nearby, he said.

Patole also hit out at the government saying that while the farmers are burdened by loans and need to be brought out of their plight, the ruling dispensation was not at all concerned.

Targeting Patole, BJP Mumbai uploaded the video on X and said, "What a misfortune, Congress is repeatedly insulting the workers whose might it uses to contest elections." It is very shameful that Congress' Maharashtra chief Nana Patole made a worker wash his muddied feet, it said, and asked where it was the real culture of the grand old party.

BJP leader Chitra Wagh also targeted Patole over the act.

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