Himanta Biswa Sarma today slammed the Congress, claiming that it is a family-centric party
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today slammed the Congress, claiming that it is a family-centric party, the agenda of which is set in the 'dining room of one family'.
He also claimed that for a Congress member, sharing a table with Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi was "unimaginable".
The BJP, on the other hand, is a democratic party, formed by its workers, Mr Sarma asserted.
Speaking at the inauguration of a party office at Chakchaka in Barpeta district, Mr Sarma said, "The BJP is a democratic party, formed by its workers. But if you look at Congress or other parties, these are not formed by workers, but are centred around their leaders and families.
"Decisions are taken in the dining room of the family and workers only follow it. The agenda and ideology of the party are changed to suit the requirement of the family," he said.
Addressing party workers at a function in Guwahati later, Mr Sarma recounted his experience at the BJP's first national executive meet in Odisha after he had joined the saffron party.
As he attended the meeting accompanied by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, both were surprised to see that top leaders like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Dharmendra Pradhan sat with all the attendees in the same manner, without any ado, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi too ate together with everyone at the meeting.
"We were told that it is how it works in BJP. In Congress, sitting at the same table as Sonia Gandhi or on a chair beside Rahul Gandhi is unimaginable," Mr Sarma, a Congressman-turned-BJP leader, just like Khandu, added.
Continuing the tirade against the 'grand old party', he further said, "If at a Congress platform, we say in front of Sonia Gandhi that Gandhi family comes second and nation is first, how it will go down I am apprehensive.
"But Modi ji himself says that nation first, party second, family third. And this shows the organisational foundation of BJP," he added.
A senior leader like Amit Shah is more glad to eat in a party worker's house than some fancy hotel, he maintained.
"Our objective is 'param baivab' (prosperity) for the nation, to stop family-centric politics, to ensure that someone who sells tea at a railway station can also rise to be the prime minister," he asserted.
Times can change but BJP's ideological foundation does not change, which also sets the party apart from those professing socialism and communism, Mr Sarma said.
"The communist agenda is to take away power from the one in the first row and give it to the one in the last row. Ours is to utilise the power of the first person and bring a smile to everyone," he said.
Welcoming former Congress working president and MLA Rana Goswami into the BJP, Mr Sarma said the saffron party is a place for those wanting to contribute to the nation.
"All the BJP CMs in North East are from the Congress. Those who are seeking to contribute to the nation and come to BJP, they will get their due," he maintained, adding, "Personal aspirations should be there, but it should be aligned with how one can contribute to the nation." "The party keeps track of everyone and the deserving ones are given due responsibilities and roles," he said, claiming that those given responsibility are also 'under scrutiny' of the party so that they continue working relentlessly.
Earlier, addressing the party members at the office opening in Barpeta, Mr Sarma maintained that the BJP, and previously the Jan Sangh, has always remained firm on its agenda and objectives, which are based on humanity, the welfare of all and prosperity for India.
"Whoever may be the party chief, there is no change in the party's agenda. If you look at Nadda ji (present BJP chief), he was a mere worker. He was not any leader's son or father," Mr Sarma said.
Mr Sarma also mentioned other leaders like Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, who rose to top positions without any family backing or patronage.
"In other parties, workers cannot rise to such high positions. There was (Jawaharlal) Nehru first, then Indira (Gandhi), then Sonia, then Rahul (in Congress). But in the BJP, there was Vajpayee, then Advani, Modi, Shah and Nadda. None of them are from one family," he said.
He asserted that the BJP is formed by the workers and the party's agenda is set in its offices and not in anyone's dining room.
The chief minister also maintained that the BJP is formed on four 'Ks' - 'karyasuchi' (agenda), 'karyakarta', (workers) 'karyalay' (office) and 'kosh' (fund).
"Like the four Vedas, these four are the four pillars on which our party's strength lies in the state," he added, exhorting the workers to continue working dedicatedly for the party.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)