The BJP on Monday accused the Congress of forming an “international mahagathbandhan” (alliance) to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi, deciding that all-out offence was the best way to defend itself in the “perception war” over the Rafale controversy before key elections.

The BJP fielded senior politicians to heap mud on the Congress, trying to paint the party as an “anti-national” organisation in cahoots with Pakistan and other enemies of India across the globe.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman acknowledged a “perception war” over the Rafale deal and declared she would personally tour the country to counter it. She also pointed to an “international dimension” to the controversy.

“No way are we going to agree to this false propaganda. Now you see an international dimension too. There is a desperation to make the government blemished on corruption,” Sitharaman said.

She rejected the Congress demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe, saying it was merely a ploy to spread slander.

Junior agriculture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat sought to link Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra to the Rafale deal.

He said “the UPA government cancelled the Rafale deal with Dassault (Aviation)” because the Nehru-Gandhis wanted to have Vadra as the middleman and the manufacturer wouldn’t agree.

He also alleged a close friendship and shared business interests between Vadra and the fugitive arms dealer, Sanjay Bhandari. Recently, a newspaper had carried such a report.

Spokesperson Sambit Patra said: “What is it that the Congress and Pakistan have in common? The commonality is the frustration of both… their only aim is to somehow remove Modiji from the Indian polity.”

The BJP’s official Twitter handle, @BJP4India, later pinned a tweet: “Is the Congress forming an International Mahagathbandhan against Narendra Modi?”

It was party chief Amit Shah who had coined the term and formulated the line of attack in a tweet on Saturday night, a day after the Hollande revelation.

“Rahul Gandhi says ‘Modi Hatao’ Pakistan says ‘Modi Hatao’ Now Pakistan also supports Rahul Gandhi’s baseless allegations against PM Modi. Is Congress forming an International Mahagathbandhan against PM Modi? #NaPakNaCongress,” Shah had tweeted.

Shekhawat said: “To remove Modiji, the Congress is taking the help of anti-India forces across the world.”