Indore: BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Saturday said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s appointment as Congress general secretary reflected lack of confidence in Rahul Gandhi’s leadership within the party. “Priyanka would not have been brought into active politics if there was confidence within the Congress in (party chief) Rahul’s leadership,” he said. To a query regarding a demand in Congress to field Bollywood stars Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan from Indore and Bhopal constituencies in upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Vijayvargiya said, “ They don’t have any leader, that’s why they want to field chocolaty faces. This shows the dearth of self-confidence in them. Somebody takes Kareena Kapoor’s name while others ask for Salman Khan. Now they have brought in Priyanka Gandhi.” On January 23, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, marking her official entry into active politics.
Meanwhile, Vijayvargiya condemned those associating Centre’s decision to confer Bharat Ratna on former president Pranab Mukherjee with party politics. “I was watching a debate on a TV channel in which it was being said that decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Pranab Da was taken to strengthen BJP in West Bengal. Those involved in this kind of discussions are insulting Pranab Da,” he said. Vijayvargiya is BJP’s general secretary in-charge for West Bengal. “The decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Pranab Da is the biggest proof of fairness of this honour. It is wrong to link this decision with party politics. Such comments are condemnable,” he said. “Under (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi government, national honours are given to those who deserve them,” he added. Vijayvargiya termed the farm loan waiver scheme of Congress government in Madhya Pradesh a political gimmick and asked if it had Rs 40,000 crore needed for scheme.
