Debabrata Saikia accuses BJP of bearing heritage of family lineage

Silchar, Nov 8: A day after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised the Congress for encouraging dynastic politics in the by-poll-bound Samaguri constituency, veteran Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Debabrata Saikia has slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly bearing a heritage of family lineage in the Indian political system.

Interacting with the press at the Indira Bhawan in Silchar on Friday, Debabrata Saikia, scion of former Assam Chief Minister late Hiteshwar Saikia, said, “The Chief Minister, while blaming the Congress, might have forgotten that the BJP bears the heritage of at least 30 families who have actually encouraged dynastic politics.”

Saikia listed 30 BJP leaders, including Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, who have family lineage in politics. However, he said that while Jyotiraditya Scindia, son of Late Madhav Rao Scindia, was with Congress, he was also part of the BJP policy of family lineage.

“He pointed out about three leaders who have family lineage, but now I am presenting you around 30 such BJP leaders,” Saikia said.

Terming the issue to be a litmus test for politicians, Saikia said that if people want his son to be the next leader, he will eventually become one. “If people accept, why is the Chief Minister or the BJP crying aloud while campaigning during elections,” he said.

Saikia took a jibe at the Chief Minister and the BJP alleging that the Chief Minister has breached the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines by instilling fear psychosis while campaigning in the by-poll bound constituencies of the state.

Referring to the instance of the controversy sparked by the former dissident BJP leader Amiya Kanti Das, who during his brief stint as an independent candidate had alleged that BJP has fielded Nihar Ranjan Das as its candidate for the Dholai by-poll who is having his family coming from Bangladesh, Saikia said, “Instead of investigating the grievous and contentious issue, the Chief Minister, has in fact gave a “ soft warning” that if the issue is further flared, lives of the Hindu Bengalis might be in jeopardy all over again, which we feel is a clear case of fear psychosis and a blatant breach of the MCC.”

He also highlighted the failure of the BJP in meeting the expectations of the voters in Dholai as there is large-scale underdevelopment noticed across the constituency about which the Congress is concerned.

“We feel that this is the opportunity for a change and Congress assures the people respond to the demands of the people,” Saikia maintained.

Silchar District Congress president Abhijit Paul, APCC spokesperson Sanjeev Roy and other leaders accompanied Saikia in the media interaction.