Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Enraged by Akshay Kanti Bam’s switch over to BJP, city Congress leaders vented their ire against party leadership for neglecting grass-root party workers and opting for Bam.
Congress leaders blamed party president Jitu Patwari for the poor situation of the party in commercial capital of the state. “He is showing off his status as state president across the state but fails to protect even his home turf,” they said.
Former state spokesperson Aminul Suri said that the jolt to party just before elections was the result of neglecting party workers and promoting businessman like Bam.
"Bam was never connected to Congress' ideology. He is a businessman and our party leadership gave ticket to him just on the basis of money he has. They (party leadership in state) neglected the grass-root worker. Money was the sole criterion for ticket," Suri said.
Acting president Devendra Yadav also expressed anger on senior party leaders. “They sold party ticket to a businessman who didn't have any inclination towards party's ideology,” he said.
"I am sad by the incident but furious over the selection of candidate. Party had neglected the grass-root level leaders and made Bam candidate. He never worked for the party. I had come to meet Bam face-to-face but he left early or I would have asked him why he betrayed the party," he said.
Former Congress MLA Ashwin Joshi even reached BJP office and targeted the BJP leaders for using unfair means to win the election.
He said, “BJP is doing the politics of fear.”
However, he later said that he reached BJP office only to have buttermilk at the dairy located there.
BJP capturing our candidate like Ravana abducted Sita: Patwari
MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari compared the BJP with 'Ravana' and said that they captured the Indore Congress candidate just like the demon king captured 'Maa Sita'.
Addressing media on Monday, Patwari said, "BJP captured our candidate just like Ravana captured Sita. They did the same in Surat. They are killing democracy."
Patwari said that this was the 'Naya Bharat' of Narendra Modi.
"We have seen such incidents in the new Bharat of Narendra Modi in last 10 years. Before that, booth capturing was done and now BJP has started candidate capturing," Patwari said.
He escaped the media query on failure in selecting the candidate and said that the party would decide its further strategy in a meeting on Tuesday.
