Odishatv Bureau
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi today blamed Congress high command for the ongoing controversy over Congress ministers` remarks on Muslim quota, saying "inaction" on behalf of the party gave a free hand to them to defy the constitutional body.

"Despite using language which is unbecoming of a union minister, that too the law minister of the country, no action was taken against Salman Khurshid, indicating that he was acting as per the directives of the high command," Shahi said.

"Had the Prime Minister taken a tough stand and dismissed Khurshid from the ministry, it would have set a trend and steel minister Beni Prasad Verma would not have dared to utter a word showing defiance to the constitutional body," he said.

The BJP leader claimed it was a "planned conspiracy of the Congress to divert peoples attention from more pressing issues like corruption in the elections". He alleged Congress is trying to shift focus from its failures by promising religion-based quota which in "against the Constitution".

On induction of Babu Singh Kushwaha in BJP, Shahi said it was part of the party`s strategy but BJP never defended him on corruption charges and he can be punished if proved guilty.

"His induction was part of strategy to break Mayawati`s fortress of corruption and barring L K Advani, Sushma Sawaraj and M M Joshi others were aware of the move," Shahi, who is believed to be behind the move to bring Kushwaha, said.

Ruling out any post-poll alliance, he said, "At the moment we are just eyeing `machli ki aankh (victory)` and concentrating on winning maximum seats to form government on our own."

scrollToTop