Congress neither national nor Indian, it's now party of 'bhai-bahan': BJP President J P Nadda

JP Nadda (File image)

The Congress is neither national nor Indian and not democratic either and has become a "bhai-bahan" party, BJP president J P Nadda said on Thursday in a sharp attack on dynastic parties.

Addressing a seminar on "Threat of Dynastic Parties to Democratic Governance", Nadda said dynastic parties, where a person’s interest reigns supreme, lack ideology and are a threat to democracy.

While the Constitution bars any discrimination on the basis of birth, leadership in these parties is decided on the basis of birth and others are ignored, he said, bringing in dynasty-run regional parties in almost every state as well as the Congress in his attack.

The BJP president blamed the Congress for the growth of regional parties, accusing the main opposition party of not giving space to regional aspirations during its dominance over national politics.

The BJP, he said, believes in "unity among diversity" and gives space to regional aspirations while keeping the centre strong.

As regional parties grow, personality cult becomes "overbearing and overwhelming" in them, sidetracking ideology and local aspirations, he said.

"What is most saddening is that the Congress has become neither national nor Indian not democratic. It is also standing now as a party of 'bhai-bahan’,” he said, an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra playing key roles in running the show in their party.

The BJP is the only party where internal democracy is maintained, he said.