Says BJP is yet to garner firm support of minorities; refuses to comment Sena-BJP break-up rumours

Pune: Union Minister of Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said the Congress has slipped from being a “national party” to a “notional party” and that the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has now taken its mantle.

Mr. Naidu said that the country needs Mr. Modi and the BJP for the next 15 years to repair the damage done by the Congress. He also said that he can not comprehend why the Shiv Sena, the BJP’s ally, was praising the Congress prior to the civic polls and censuring the BJP instead.

Mr. Naidu was speaking during a visit to the city ahead of the civic polls on February 21.

‘Sena panicky’

He said, “[The rift between the BJP and the Sena] signifies that the Sena is panicky about the results to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Once upon a time, the BJP was perceived as the ‘younger’ brother in the alliance, now the situation has reversed.”

When asked about the Sena’s response to the BJP’s alleged clampdown on the former’s mouthpiece Saamna, Mr. Naidu said that he would “not allow such a thing to happen.”

“Let anyone write whatever they want. I will not put any prohibition on Saamna. We have no wish to replicate an emergency-like situation imposed by the Congress,” Mr. Naidu said, adding: “But if the Shiv Sena persists in disparaging the Prime Minister through its mouthpiece, it will only be to their detriment and will affect the paper’s quality.”

He refused to comment on rumours that the Sena would break-off with the BJP after the civic polls, stating there was no point indulging in speculation.

‘Congress weakened’

Terming the Congress as “a spent force”, the Union Minister read out a list of names of the Congress’s top brass — from Rita Bahuguna Joshi to veteran S.M. Krishna — who had either joined the BJP or quit the party in disgruntlement.

Mr. Naidu said the party has now become a regional one. “They could have made the country strong, but instead weakened its institutions and destabilised it through dynastic politics.”

He said many sections of the country support the BJP, however, the party is yet to secure the firm support of minority communities. He said that the party is making progress in this direction.

Mr. Naidu said that the Central BJP leaders are campaigning for the civic polls in Mumbai and Pune to ensure that the party takes control of these crucial municipal corporations.

Development agenda

He said, “We need to elect an administration where local bodies, State and Centre work in conjunction for effective implementation of the development agenda.”

Mr. Naidu also implied that the major schemes for Pune — Smart City, Metro Rail, and rejuvenation of the Mula-Mutha riverfront — would only come to fruition if the BJP was elected to the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

Speaking to The Hindu, he said the regional parties that had controlled the civic bodies would be swept aside by the BJP. “Regional parties have proved that they are unable to rule anywhere in the country, be it Uttar Pradesh or elsewhere. Likewise, despite the NCP retaining a hold on the civic bodies, this time the public mood clearly favours the BJP.”