Jaitley terms Gandhi family an 'albatross' around Cong neck

Varanasi, Apr 22 (UNI) BJP today said the Nehru-Gandhi family is like an ''albatross'' around the Congress neck, which will ultimately result in the downfall of the Grand Old Party.

''A dynasty is always an albatross round the party's neck. Hence, the Nehru-Gandhi family is like the same sea-bird, which will ultimately script Congress' downfall,'' former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told newspersons here.

Commenting over Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi's much-hyped roadshows, Mr Jaitley said ''it is a glaring example that the Congress cannot live without dynastic politics. I think the Congress believes that without sticking to dynasty, their party will not be able to draw crowds. But, it should also wake up to the reality that a dynasty can draw crowd, but cannot translate the same support into votes.'' ''The results of the UP election will prove that dynastic politics is not a boon, but a burden for the Congress.'' The BJP leader went on to say the Congress by surrendering to dynastic politics has shown that ''it does not believe in meritocracy, but is a follower of substitute to competence and talent.'' Mr Jaitley said the ''limitations and aberrations of a dynasty also turn into limitations and aberrations for the political party being ruled by that dynasty. In that case, starting with partition of the country, 1962 India-China War, imposition of emergency in 1975 and the Bofors scam -- all limitations and aberrations of the Nehru Gandhi family become the property of each and every Congress worker.'' Over the question of using young BJP leaders including Varun Gandhi and Rajnath Singh's son Pankaj Singh in UP campaign, Mr Jaitley said ''we do not believe in elevating to the top any leader because he belongs to a particular family.... be it Pankaj or Varun, all have to work in public first to make their way to the top party hierarchy.'' Remaining non-committal about the participation of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in poll campaign after the April 25 public rally in Lucknow, Mr Jaitley said, ''Atalji is very ill and I cannot say anything about him participating in poll campaign after April 25 rally.'' The BJP leader, however, said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will be in the state shortly to campaign extensively for party candidates during the remaining phases of polls.

''Mr Modi was in Japan for a week, but now he is back and will campaign for the party with full vigour in the coming days.'' UNI