Chennai, Feb 20 (PTI) The political war of words between BJP state chief K Annamalai and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin over 'Get out Modi' rhetoric took a new high on Thursday with Annamalai daring the DMK leader to specify the date and time for the "showdown" on Anna Salai here.

Picking up the gauntlet, Annamalai asked the Deputy Chief Minister to be more specific rather than vaguely mention the arterial road's name.

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"Tell me the date and time, and I will come there alone. Let the DMK and police forces try and stop me if they can," Annamalai told reporters in Tamil Nadu's Salem, when asked to comment on Udhayanidhi's challenge.

Earlier in the day, while replying to a question from a reporter here, Udhayanidhi said Annamalai should come to Anna Salai (where the DMK headquarters is situated) if he had the courage.

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"Ask him to come. First, let him come to Anna Salai if he dares. This is not an issue between Udhayanidhi and Annamalai. If he can, then ask him to get funds for Tamil Nadu. He is diverting the issue from the National Education Policy (NEP), and trilingual policy," Udhayanidhi said.

In Salem, the BJP leader said he would not take back the words he uttered on February 19 in Karur. "Udhayanidhi had used the words 'Get out Modi' while addressing a rally in Chennai. I dare say let him utter those words again at our world leader. Then I will put out 'Get out Stalin' on my social media handle at 6 am on Friday," Annamalai said.

At the BJP rally in Karur, Annamalai addressed Udhayanidhi in singular and said "utter 'get out Modi' if you dare as sitting Deputy Chief Minister, son of Chief Minister M K Stalin and grandson of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. I will come to your house and paste posters mocking you."

The issue started on February 18 when the Deputy Chief Minister, addressing a DMK rally against the National Education Policy (NEP) and three-language policy, said the public would launch 'Get out Modi' campaign if the Centre made any attempts to snatch the state's rights.

"Last time, when you attempted to snatch the rights of the Tamils, people launched a 'Go back Modi' campaign. If you try it again with the TN people, this time it will be 'Get out Modi' agitation to send you back," Udhayanidhi had said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)