Most regional parties turning into family-run outfits says BJP national president JP Nadda

Kolkata, June 8

BJP national president JP Nadda on Wednesday lashed out at the ruling TMC in Bengal, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee-led party has “no principles or policies, and all it does is run syndicates”.

Nadda, who is in Bengal on a two-day visit, also claimed that almost all regional outfits in the country, including the “aunt-nephew party” of the TMC, have become family-run organisations.

In an apparent dig at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said the grand old party, too, had become an organisation run by a brother and a sister. Exuding confidence that the “future belongs to the BJP”, he vowed to defeat the TMC in the next elections, “just as we won against the Congress”. “In politics there is nothing static, things change. The future belongs to the BJP. The TMC has no principles or policies, it has only syndicates,” Nadda said, addressing the state executive committee meeting here.

The ruling party in Bengal has often been accused of backing organised extortion rackets, often referred to as syndicates, mainly in the construction and manufacturing segments.

The top BJP leader also said the Banerjee-led government in Bengal had not given the details of the MNREGA fund expenditure for the past three years. He claimed the Congress was now “lupt” (extinct) in the country, taking a dig at the party’s dip in vote share. “During my college days, those associated with the Congress mocked me saying that I am in the wrong party. After 40 years, look where the BJP stands,” he said.

Earlier in the month, the TMC had held rallies across the state in protest against alleged delay by the Centre in clearing funds that it owed to Bengal under the 100-day work scheme. Banerjee had said the Centre was yet to clear MGNREGA dues of Rs 6,000 crore. — PTI

Lack principles

In politics there is nothing static, things change. The future belongs to the BJP. The TMC has no principles or policies. — JP Nadda, BJP president