BJP trashes as ‘drama’ Gujarat OBC leader joining Congress

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday termed Gujarat OBC leader Alpesh Thakore joining the Congress and bribe allegation against the BJP "a drama".

Calling the Congress a "drameybaz Party No 1" for presenting Thakore's entry as "an achievement", Prasad said the OBC leader had earlier fought panchayat elections on the party's ticket.

He also said the Rs 1 crore bribe allegation against the BJP by Patidar leader Narendra Patel to join the party was also "a part of the drama". Narendra Patel is an aide of Patidar leader Hardik Patel.

"There have been many films in the past with title 'No 1' such as 'Jodi No 1', 'Dost No 1', 'Aunty No 1'. Today, I am giving Congress party a new name, 'Drameybaz Party No 1'," Prasad said during a press conference here.

"And why should not I be calling this? Because the drama Congress is holding over joining of the big leader who was a NSUI member once? He also fought Mehsana panchayat election on Congress' ticket and lost. Even, his father was a district head of Congress. So when was he (Thakore) out of the Congress?"

He took a dig at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for not doing his homework.

"Earlier, I would say Rahul Gandhi did not do home work. But now I will say even your script writers do not do it. Had it been done today, you could have saved yourself from the drama of the achievement (Thakore's entry)," he said.

Prasad asked why Narendra Patel had shown just Rs 10 lakh when Rs 1 crore was given.

"Where are the remaining Rs 90 lakh? Something amiss. Cash worth crores was shown in Parliament during Congress' rule. This is the history of Congress," he said.

Prasad said Congress was frustrated due to being out of the power in the state for 22 years, which led the party to reduce itself to "such gimmicks" to remain relevant.

The Minister also said the Congress had "stooped to a low level" of politics due to desperation to win the Gujarat elections.

"People of Gujarat are serious on the issues of politics and development. For 22 years, Congress is out of power. Is the desperation to win the elections taking your politics to such low level?" he said.

Prasad said the Gandhi scion has not learnt lessons from his past experiences.

"Everybody knows what happened to jodis (alliances) such as Omar Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi in Kashmir, CPI-M and Congress in West Bengal, Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh. Now, with Alpesh Thakore. Everybody has a right to be in politics. But come with politics of substance and conviction," he said.