Modi became PM, but BJP not so strong: Himachal ex-CM Shanta Kumar

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 3

BJP veteran and former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar today said it was creditworthy for the BJP that it had formed the government for the third time in the country. He said Narendra Modi had emerged as the second popular leader after Jawaharlal Nehru, who took over the reins of the nation for the third time, but at the same time the BJP could not get majority and it was dependent on its allies.

He said the country also got the Leader of Opposition after 10 years. Kumar categorically stated that keeping in view the present political scenario, both Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi have to mend their ways and Rahul Gandhi has to work with more maturity.

The former CM also said though Modi had become the Prime Minister, but the strength of his party had reduced to 242 seats and the BJP government was not in a position to take major policy decisions without the consent of the two alliance partners — JDU and TDP.

He said for 10 years, the BJP had also worked hard to establish a dominant position in India’s political system and to win over voters, it has improved infrastructure in the cities as well as in the rural areas. He also said that the BJP extended welfare schemes to improve the lives of women and children living particularly in the rural areas.

However, in a striking development, the BJP failed to hold the many important parliamentary seats like Faizabad, where Ayodhya is located, the former CM added.