BJP Leader Says Rahul Gandhi Not Fit To Be Member Of Parliament

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for filming Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's mimicry by an MP in Parliament complex and said the Congress leader was not fit to be a Member of Parliament.

A major row erupted after a video clip of suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee mimicking Dhankhar's mannerisms was circulated on social media and also aired on TV news channels. Gandhi was seen recording Banerjee's mimicry of the the Rajya Sabha chairman on his mobile phone.

"A person holding a constitutional post was being mimicked in the Parliament complex and Gandhi, instead of stopping the act, was making a video of it and promoting it. It is very shameful," Mr Vijayvargiya told reporters in Indore.

The newly-elected MLA said the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad was not fit to be an MP.

"Gandhi is said to be a contender for the post of PM. I think he is not even fit for the post of MP. The post of PM is too big for him," he said.

Mr Vijayvargiya deprecated the protest by opposition members in the Parliament complex over suspension of nearly 150 MPs.

"Agitation should be done on the streets, but unfortunately some people from the opposition agitate inside Parliament," he said.

On the Enforcement Directorate's fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged money laundering case related to excise policy, the BJP leader said investigating agencies will go after anyone who indulges in corruption.

This summons should not be seen from a political angle, he maintained.

The BJP leader termed the opposition INDIA bloc as a "ghamandia (arrogant) alliance" built on the foundation of selfishness.

"There are 24 political parties in this alliance and as many contenders for the post of Prime Minister. Therefore, there can never be a consensus among the parties of this coalition," he said.

Asked about the delay in cabinet expansion by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who took oath on December 13, Vijayvargiya evaded a direct reply.

"Information about the cabinet expansion will be available to you (media) and me together," he remarked.

Before his interaction with the media, Mr Vijayvargiya told party workers during a meeting at the local BJP office that there were many similarities between him and the new Chief Minister.

"Both of us are sons of labourers. We were Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers and also Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists during student days. Both of us have done wrestling," said the BJP general secretary.

Mr Vijayvargiya, who was being counted among contenders for the CM post before the BJP selected Mr Yadav for the top job, said his party colleague was way ahead of him in educational qualifications.

"I fell behind in one thing. I studied up to BSc and then did LLB. Yadav did his BSc, LLB, MA, MBA and PhD. Yadav is most educated among all the 230 MLAs of the state," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)