Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a “role model of leadership” and dynastic politics stood no chance to succeed against him as he represented ‘merit.’
Jaitley’s comments have been published in the RSS mouthpiece ‘Tarun Bharat.’
The article said, “Mr Modi is being targeted by dynastic forces because of his success.And it is clear that the politics of dynasty stands no chance because (PM) Modi represents merit which is the buzzword in today’s world and politics.”
Jailtey’s comments come after the BJP’s rivals in Bihar attacked the party for ‘practicing double-standards’ on promoting dynasty in politics.
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Prime Minister Modi, while campaigning in assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year, had said, “Dynastic politics is a termite that eats away the foundation of democracy.”
He had previously also attacked the Congress-led UPA government for being a ‘Maan Bete ki sarkaar( government of mother Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi)’ and National Conference for running ‘Baap Betey ki sarkaar (government of father Farooq Abdullah and son Omar Abdullah).’
However, his own party leaders seem to have forgotten to practice what Modi preached his political opponents causing huge embarrassment for the party in Bihar elections.
BJP MP from Bihar, Ashwini Choubey, has fielded his son, Arijit Shashwat, from Bhagalpur drawing criticism from the party’s critics. BJP’s national vice-president Dr CP Thakur too has secured a ticket for his son Vivek Thakur.
And fielding family members or relatives are not confined to the BJP. Two of its allies, Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha too are guilty of promoting dynasty politics during Bihar elections.
At least four HAM candidates are father-son duo with Manjhi’s own son Santosh Kumar being a candidate in this election. Senior party leader Shakuni Chowdhary from Tarapur is also contesting the polls this time along with his son Rakesh Kumar from Khagaria.
Majnhi doesn’t see anything wrong in that. Last month while releasing the list of HAM candidates, Majnhi said, “Who else is Santosh Kumar? You people know him. Of course he is my son and what is wrong with that? He has learnt the ropes of politics and what is wrong if I give him a ticket?”
The LJP’s list of candidates includes the brother and nephew of the party chief. Paswan’s brother Pashupati Kumar Paras, who is the Bihar state chief of the party, is contesting from the reserved Alouli assembly seat. The Union Minister’s nephew Prince Raj, is the candidate from another Kalyanpur.