Former Congress spokesperson and a vocal critic of Narendra Modi, Tom Vadakkan, joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday
New Delhi: In perhaps the biggest embarrassment for the Congress so far, a long-time close aide of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Tom Vadakkan, joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad welcomed Vadakkan, who is known to have been a vocal critic of Narendra Modi, to the party.
Delhi: Congress leader Tom Vadakkan joins Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. pic.twitter.com/7AtbF2QfHj
— ANI (@ANI)Speaking to media, Vadakkan said, "I was deeply hurt when (the) party (Congress) questioned (the) integrity of the armed forces."
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The former Congress leader also said, "I left Congress party because when Pakistani terrorists attacked our land, my party's reaction to it was sad, it hurt me deeply. If a political party takes such a position that is against the country then I'm left with no option but to leave the party."
Tom Vadakkan: I left Congress party because when Pakistani terrorists attacked our land, my party's reaction to it was sad, it hurt me deeply. If a political party takes such a position that is against the country then I'm left with no option but to leave the party. pic.twitter.com/8oZYoFRGx4
— ANI (@ANI)Needless to say, this is a big and timely coup by the BJP. This move comes particularly at a time when the Congress is criticised for its stand on the Balakot air strike by the Indian Air Force on February 26.
On February 26, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh asked the Centre to provide evidence of the Indian Air Force's strike on the terror camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Balakot.
Moreover, the timing is all the more significant as the Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomacy for China blocking Masood Azhar’s listing as a global terrorist for the fourth time.
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