BANGALORE: A day after Congress elevated Rahul Gandhi to number 2 in the hierarchy, the BJP reacted sharply stating the Congress 's response to finding solutions to bourgeois problem is to convert the largest democracy to dynastic society. "The reforms the party (Congress) has chanted is to take democracy to dynastic rule. The shivir (meeting) failed to address the issues of spiraling price raise, cap on LPG, investment coming to a standstill among others, but has promoted the dynasty rule," Arun Jaitley , opposition leader in Rajya Sabha , slammed Congress while participating in BJP convention organized by party's law and parliamentary cell on Sunday.

Perhaps, for the first time, BJP, the principal opposition criticized Congress after the party formally anointed Rahul as the party's vice-president — in other words, the No. 2 in the hierarchy. Commenting on the elevation, which also means that Rahul is the party's candidate for Prime Minister in the 2014 elections, Jaitley said the parties from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu have forgotten the ideologies and were crowding around families.

"Political parties have seized to be structural in nature. Ideologies have taken back seat and families are playing vital role in ruling the state. Only in the feudal society inheritance will be given importance and most of the parties barring Left parties to are following this route," he lamented.

He, however, said the public are smart not to take the developments as dictated by the Congress. Outlining the culture of political parties in the country, in the light of Rahul's elevation, the opposition leader in Rajya Sabha compared BJP with other parties and claimed that it was the only party in the country that was structural.

He maintained that the chief ministers in BJP ruled states got the post out of clear merit, not due to the surnames they carry. "We have galaxies of chief ministers whose abilities have been proven. Barack Obama did not become president of US on the basis of family name or caste. It was ability to lead and immense merit he took the top post," he said.

Jaitley said Rahul's anointment, who possibly will take on Gujarat strongman Narendra Modi in 2014 general elections, would put country at risk as his priority, experience, public knowledge and reforms mind is unknown.

Targetting AICC president Sonia Gandhi , the BJP leader said that the middle class in the country are disillusioned with UPA for rampant corruption, negative economic and infrastructure growth, spiraling price rise due to its anti-people policies.

While inaugurating the Jaipur meeting, Sonia made it clear that the youth and the urban middle class were the party's priorities for 2014.