No leader bigger than the party, BJP on Manvendra Singh joining Cong

Jaipur, Oct 17: Reacting to estranged legislator Manvendra Singh joining the Congress, senior BJP leader Rao Rajendra Singh Wednesday said "individuals are not bigger than the party".

Son of former Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart Jaswant Singh, Manvendra Singh joined the Congress earlier in the day after he announced to quit the saffron party in September.

"Individuals are not bigger than the party. BJP does not have a character where people consider themselves bigger than the party and think that they run it (the party)," said Singh, who is also the deputy speaker in the 14th Rajasthan Assembly, at a press conference.

He said Manvendra Singh was already suspended from party's primary membership for campaigning against the BJP's candidate in 2014 general election in Barmer.

Manvendra Singh, the BJP MLA from Sheo constituency had campaigned for his father Jaswant Singh who had contested the 2014 general election as an independent candidate after failing to get a ticket from the saffron party. The BJP leader said that it was the hard work of the party workers in establishing the identity of any leader or individual and Manvendra Singh had insulted the workers.

However, the party firmly believes that Manvendra Singh's exit will not affect the morale of the workers and they will continue to work for the BJP's victory in the upcoming Assembly election, Singh said.

He also refuted allegations that the Rajput community had drifted away from the BJP, stressing that the party does not see any caste or community as a vote bank.

Singh further said that Manvendra Singh had joined a party where the dictatorship of one family reigns supreme.