Ex-Bihar Congress chief joins BJP, slams Sonia, Kharge

| Updated: 04 April, 2024 4:16 pm IST

New Delhi: Former Bihar Congress president Anil Sharma, along with former RJD leader Upendra Prasad, made headlines today as they officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi. Their induction into the saffron party’s fold coincided with former Congress leader Gaurav Vallabh’s entry into the BJP ranks.

Anil Sharma wasted no time in expressing his views on the Congress leadership, particularly targeting Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. In a scathing remark, Sharma labeled them as “the most communal people” and criticized their alleged biases. “Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge come in the category of the most communal people. Sonia Gandhi rejected the Ram Mandir invitation. But when there is a programme related to Mother Teresa in Italy, she sends a Congress representative,” Sharma asserted. He also accused Kharge of propagating divisive rhetoric, stating, “Kharge had said that if Narendra Modi wins again, Sanatan rule will come in the country. There is a battle going on in the nation between two ideologies — one to save Sanatan Dharm and the other to destroy it. Rahul Gandhi follows the latter.”

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Sharma’s remarks didn’t stop there. He further emphasized his stance by distancing himself from traditional symbols of Hindu identity. “I do not wear a sacred thread [janeu] over my clothes,” Sharma declared, subtly referring to the ongoing debate surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s caste identity. Sharma’s departure from the Congress party comes on the heels of his resignation on March 31, citing the party’s partnership with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as “disastrous.” He criticized the Congress-RJD alliance and expressed disillusionment with the party’s leadership decisions.

The timing of Sharma’s decision, just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, underscores the significant political realignments taking place in Bihar. Sharma’s move highlights the challenges faced by the Congress party and the shifting allegiances within the broader Indian political spectrum. His defection to the BJP adds another dimension to the electoral dynamics in the state, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle.

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