J P Nadda terms Congress 'parasite party', says it weakens alliance partners

Puri (Odisha): BJP national president J P Nadda on Friday termed the Congress as a "parasite party that stands on the crutches of others' votes and weakens alliance partners".

Addressing the Odisha BJP's state executive meeting here, the Union minister said that "those who have hurt the Constitution the most are teaching the ruling dispensation on how to protect democracy".

"The Congress has become a parasitic party and is standing on the crutches of others' votes. People who have hurt the Constitution the most are now teaching us on how to protect democracy. Rahul Gandhi is not aware how his grandmother (Indira Gandhi) used the Constitution in a different way," Nadda said, while referring to the Emergency period.

He claimed that the Congress had dismissed elected governments 90 times in the past, while the Narendra Modi dispensation at the Centre has never dismissed the governments of other parties in the last 10 years.

Highlighting the "BJP's acceptance among the people of India", Nadda claimed that 57 per cent of the country's population supports the BJP and its governments are spread over 58 per cent of the country's area.

"We (BJP) are a pan-India party, with NDA governments in 18 states, including 13 of the BJP alone. The Congress, on the other hand, has no presence in 13 states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Ladakh," Nadda said, adding that the Congress depends on other parties to win polls in some states.

"When the BJP and the Congress were in direct contest in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in 64 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress could win only two seats, while the BJP bagged 62 constituencies," he said.

The BJP president claimed that the Congress's strike rate is only 26 per cent in elections it contested alone.

"Congress can only survive on other parties," Nadda said.

Further attacking the Congress, the BJP national president said the grand old party's performance in the last three Lok Sabha polls was not even equal to that of the saffron party in this year's election.

"They (Congress) couldn't surpass the BJP's 2024 tally of 240 seats even if seats bagged by them in 2014, 2019 and 2024 are added," Nadda said, adding that the total number of seats won by all of Congress allies combined was still less than those won by the BJP alone in this election.

Nadda thanked the people of Odisha for their overwhelming support in this year's election as the BJP formed its maiden government in the state by winning 78 seats in the 147-member assembly. The BJP won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Nadda said the party is committed to the speedy development of the state and concrete steps will be taken for the empowerment of tribals and Scheduled Caste people.

"The BJP will leave no stone unturned to serve the people of Odisha and ensure their welfare. The party will stress on the development of the Schedule Caste people and our tribal brothers," Nadda, who is also Union Health Minister, said.

The Odisha unit of the saffron party is holding its first state executive committee meeting in Puri after forming its government.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP state president Manmohan Samal, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, two deputy chief ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, all ministers, MPs and MLAs attended the two-day state executive meeting which began on Friday.

In the meeting, the saffron party will discuss a roadmap on the prevailing political situation and other crucial issues along with welfare programmes of the state government, a party leader said.