BJP will never go into hands of one family: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati, Sep 3 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that dynastic politics was never promoted in the BJP, and the party will never go into the hands of one family even in the next 200 years.

Speaking on the occasion of BJP's membership drive programme, the Assam CM said: "Our leaders never promoted dynasty within the party's fold. Beginning with Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda... no leader fuelled dynasty in the BJP."

Sarma said that a strong foundation was laid for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its inception, adding that the the party can never go into the hands of one family.

"Whether it was the time of Jana Sangha or the current leadership of the BJP by J.P. Nadda, a very strong base for the party was founded so that it never goes into the control of a single family," he said in an indirect jibe to the Congress.

The Assam Chief Minister further stated that the top BJP leaders rose from the grassroots level and reached the highest position in national politics.

He said: "If we look at the life of JP Nadda, he started with ABVP as a student leader, and later he associated himself as a general party worker in Himachal Pradesh. He worked in that capacity for several years and later, he was elevated to the post of the national president of the BJP."

Sarma also gave the example of Amit Shah who began his career as a booth level worker of the BJP.

"Amit Shah worked as a booth karyakarta of our party. He was a block level worker too. From that position, he became the national president of the BJP and now the Union Home Minister. Similarly, senior party leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also had a very humble background," CM Sarma said.

"At the top, we have Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was a Prachark in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He then rendered duties at important positions in the party organisation and finally became the Prime Minister of the country. This happens only in the BJP," he added.

The Assam CM further said that the party workers are the main strength of the BJP.

"The BJP is now the strongest force in the world. It has only been possible due to the immense strength of our party workers. At our party, nobody asks about the identity of the father or mother of a karyakarta. The BJP only requires dedication to Bharat Mata, hard work and the confidence of a party worker," he added.

Sarma also advised the party workers to give emphasis on including youth who are between 18 and 25 years.