Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz has hit back at critics who said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should take on ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in places other than his stronghold Pekan, in the current tussle over Umno leadership.

Nazri said former Batu Kawan Umno leader Khairuddin Abu Bakar failed to understand the logic for his call for Mahathir to contest in Pekan.

“Why would Najib have to contest at another constituency?

"It is not Najib who wants to topple Mahathir, it is the other way round,” he told Malaysiakini .

Nazri was responding to Khairuddin ( right in photo ), who yesterday flayed him for asking Mahathir to slug it out with Najib in the PM's parliamentary seat.

Met at Subang Skypark during Mahathir’s homecoming from performing the umrah, Khairuddin had said the battleground should be a neutral place, such as Wangsa Maju or Bandar Tun Razak.

“If he (Mahathir) wants to topple Najib, there are democratic ways to do so. He should come to challenge at the home ground," he retorted.

Nazri also took a jab at Khairuddin’s bankruptcy status which led to his sacking as Umno leader last year.

“He (Khairuddin) is not only a bankrupt politician. (His) business (is also) bankrupt. (His) ideas (are) bankrupt too,” said the Padang Rengas MP.