WASHINGTON: An ugly war of words broke out between Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz today as they nastily hit out at each other in a desperate effort to win the crucial primary in Indiana.

Cruz called Trump an "utterly amoral," bully, narcissist and pathological liar, while Trump immediately hit back saying the Texas Senator was trying to save his failing campaign.

"Ted Cruz is a desperate candidate trying to save his failing campaign. It is no surprise he has resorted to his usual tactics of over-the-top rhetoric that nobody believes," Trump said after Cruz told reporters in Indianapolis that the billionaire was a "narcissist" scared of strong women.

Trump is leading in Indiana primary polls as Cruz battles for the toughest political battle of his life and hope to break the momentum of Trump.

"Over the last week, I have watched Lyin' Ted become more and more unhinged as he is unable to react under the pressure and stress of losing, in all cases by landslides, the last six primary elections - in fact, coming in last place in all but one of them," Trump said.

"Today's ridiculous outburst only proves what I have been saying for a long time, that Ted Cruz does not have the temperament to be President of the US," said Trump.

Earlier Cruz launched a blistering attack on Trump.

"Donald Trump is such a narcissist that Barack Obama looks at him and says, 'Dude, what's your problem?. Whatever lie he's telling, in that minute he believes it. But the man is utterly amoral. Morality does not exist for him," he alleged.

Referring to the alleged attack on his wife, Cruz said it is one example that Trump is scared of strong women.

"It's why he went after Heidi directly, attacked her and smeared her. Heidi isn't pretty enough for him... Donald is a bully... Bullies don't come from strength, they come from weakness... There's a reason Donald builds giant buildings and puts his name on them everywhere he goes," he said.

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