Had Indira Gandhi been alive, BJP would have been nowhere: Congress leader Nana Patole
Mumbai, Nov 14: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Thursday said had former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi been alive today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would have nowhere politically.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Patole criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comments at a poll rally in Maharashtra on Wednesday that Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, won’t be restored even if Indira Gandhi, who died in 1984, comes down from heaven.
Article 370 of the Constitution was scrapped by the BJP-led central government in August 2019.
The Maharashtra Congress president sought to know what has been achieved by nullifying the contentious constitutional provision.
''Shah should stop making such remarks. What have you achieved from abrogation of Article 370? You were able to conduct assembly elections (in J&K) after 10 years. Terrorism hasn't stopped and soldiers continue to be martyred every day. Instead Shah should tell people whether the BJP has fulfilled promises made in 2014 and 2019 polls," Patole said.
He remarked that had Indira Gandhi, a Congress stalwart who served as PM for more than 15 years, been alive today, the BJP would have been nowhere.
The BJP is scared of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, a trenchant critic of the saffron party, and sees him even in their dreams, Patole said in reply to a question.
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BJP dreaming to win polls with money power: West Bengal BJP MLA after bypoll loss
Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.
The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."
"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.
On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.
"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.
Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.
With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.
