Is Vijay Mallya your brand ambassador now? Shiv Sena asks BJP

Mumbai, July 16: Taking a jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jual Oram for calling fugitive Vijay Mallya as 'smart', Shiv Sena on Monday asked whether fugitive loan defaulter Vijay Mallya has become the BJP's new 'brand ambassador'.

The party in its mouthpiece, Saamna, said that while on one side Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims to fight against corruption in his speeches, on the other hand, his party leaders consider those who are absconding in money laundering cases as their idols.

"PM Modi has asked his party leaders to keep a control on their tongue during public gathering," Shiv Sena wrote, while adding that still some of the leaders are speaking up their mind publicly.

Sena said that BJP leaders are trying to come up with new and innovative concepts of development. "Oram is a new contributor to this development concept, which is to digress and fool citizens with jumlas," it said.

Describing Mallya as 'smart', the Minister for Tribal Welfare Jual Oram had advised scheduled castes and tribes to become smart enough to avail bank loans to become successful entrepreneurs.

"You people criticise Vijay Mallya. But what is Vijay Mallya? He is smart. He employed some intelligent people. He did something here and there with bankers, politicians, government," he had said.

"After giving such noteworthy advice, it's clear that the Union Minister is exhibiting the BJP's true face," said the editorial.

"If Mallya is smart then he should be made the brand ambassador of 'Start-up India' and 'Make in India' because ministers themselves believe that hard work is not enough," said Sena adding that they wouldn't be surprised if the BJP leaders start saying that Dawood Ibrahim was a gutsy youth.