The Congress party on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar accepted the merger of three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs with the ruling party. The Congress termed the development as a 'loot' and coined the term 'Lootus' to replace the BJP's symbol 'Lotus'.
Congress's 'Lootus' jibe
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to social media to express his party's outrage, stating that the 'Lotus' has now become 'Lootus'. He accused the BJP of indulging in unethical practices to poach opposition MPs and undermine democratic institutions.
The remark comes after Dhankhar approved the merger of AAP MPs Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, and others with the BJP, citing their voluntary decision to join the ruling party. The Congress, however, alleged that the merger was a result of coercion and inducement.
Political implications
Political analysts view this merger as a significant setback for the AAP, which has been trying to establish itself as a national alternative to the BJP. The Congress, on the other hand, sees this as an opportunity to corner the BJP on the issue of political ethics.
The BJP, however, dismissed the Congress's allegations, calling them baseless and accusing the opposition of being unable to retain its own MPs. The ruling party maintained that the merger was a democratic decision by the AAP MPs who were disillusioned with their party's leadership.
The incident has further intensified the war of words between the Congress and the BJP, with both parties exchanging barbs over the integrity of political processes in the country.
