NEW DELHI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a jibe at the Congress on Saturday over the recent elections for the party president, saying he expects those who voted for Shashi Tharoor to join the BJP soon.
Speaking to ANI, the Assam CM said, “The outcome of the Congress’ so-called internal elections was known and declared even before the counting of votes. The only democratic people in the Congress were the 1,000 delegates who showed the courage to vote for Shashi Tharoor. I expect them to join BJP soon.”
Tharoor, who was rivalling senior party colleague Mallikarjun Kharge for the post, said only those lacking the courage to fight are tempted to join the BJP. Kharge trounced Tharoor to become the first non-Gandhi Congress president in 24 years. Kharge received 7,897 votes to Tharoor’s 1,072 in the October 17 presidential polls.
In a video, the Thiruvananthapuram MP repled to Sarma’s statement, saying, “Those who show courage will never join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Only the ones who do not have the courage to fight might be tempted to do so.”
Kharge was elected Congress president on October 19. Soon after his poll victory, Kharge said the party has presented an “example of strengthening the country’s democracy by conducting organisational elections” at a time when “democracy is in danger” in the country. (ANI)