The Congress on Sunday reacted sharply to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi finding a place in BJP’s core national team, saying this will result in the opposition party’s “self-destruction” as he is seeking to take over the organisation.
“The re-induction of Narendra Modi to the BJP’s Parliamentary Board will cause self-destruction of the BJP,” Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said here.
“The real Modi’s challenge is for the BJP. It is Modi, who is seeking to take over the party. Once Modi takes over, there is no BJP,” he said, an obvious finger-pointing to the internecine supremacy feud among its top rung leaders.
“The BJP has no ideology of its own. How long they will survive with this kind of situation, only time will tell,” Sibal said. The minister also tried to fish in troubled waters, noting out that “for an experienced person like Yashwant Sinha to be left out (of the BJP central office-bearers list), the story that emerges out that is those who fight for the cause over party are ultimately thrown out.” This was a reference to Sinha’s opposition to Nitin Gadkari getting a second term as BJP chief earlier this year.
Regarding Modi’s confidant and former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah becoming a BJP national general secretary, Sibal said: “The person who has been appointed as general secretary has got serious charges against him. The BJP is going towards self-destruction.” Shah has criminal cases pending against him regarding alleged fake encounters by the Gujarat police and is out on bail.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi, reacting to the new BJP office-bearers list, said the opposition party’s national team will face its “first test” during Karnataka Assembly polls scheduled on May 5 this year.
“This (office-bearers list) is BJP’s internal matter and I won’t comment on it. The 2014 general elections are far. Karnataka is the first test for the team,” Alvi said.