MH-RAHUL-NCW-SHINDE

Amid a row over Rahul Gandhi's

remarks against Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, senior

Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde Thursday defended the party

chief saying he always respected women and held them in high

regard.

Shinde made the comments here in the wake of the

National Commission for Women (NCW) issuing a notice to Gandhi

over his "extremely misogynistic, offensive and unethical"

remarks against Sitharaman.

"He (Gandhi) always respects them...he always speaks

highly about women in his rallies and public meeting," Shinde

told reporters here.

Speaking at a farmers' rally in Rajasthan, Gandhi had

Wednesday said, "The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away

and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won't be able to

defend myself, defend me".

The former Union minister also said that the

seat-sharing among the Congress, NCP and other like-minded

parties to form an alliance against the BJP ahead of the polls

would be finalised soon.

To a question, Shinde said he was ready to contest the

upcoming Lok Sabha polls if his party gave him ticket.

"If it doesn't, I will keep working for the party for

life," he added.