The Prime Minister’s comments came hours after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed as a Congress general secretary and made in charge of Uttar Pradesh East.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 23 said democracy ran in the BJP’s veins while in many other cases, family comprised the party.

Mr. Modi's comments came hours after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed as a Congress general secretary and made in charge of Uttar Pradesh East.

Interacting with BJP booth workers from Baramati, Gadchiroli, Hingoli, Nanded and Nandurbar in Maharashtra through video conference, he said unlike “many cases” where ''family is the party'', for the BJP, the ''party is the family''.

In an apparent reference to Ms. Gandhi, Mr. Modi said in the BJP, decisions were not taken on the wishes of a person or family. “In our party, decisions are taken on the basis of what party workers want.”

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“The BJP is driven by democratic principles. Democracy runs in the veins of BJP which is why people of the country feel closer to the party,” he said.