Jaitley targets Cong over dynastic politics

Targeting Congress for practicing dynastic politics, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley said that a debate should be initiated on whether only a leader born in a particular family should lead the country.

Without naming Congress Vice President and its heir-apparent Rahul Gandhi, Jaitley said, "these days there is a move in the Congress to hand over the reins to him. Is India a dynastic democracy? The BJP should initiate a debate in the country on the issue."

Jaitley was addressing a meeting of party's booth-level coordinators in Gwalior.

"There is a need to initiate a debate on whether only a leader born in a particular family should lead the country or the states or it should be the one who became a leader because of his abilities," he observed.

Referring to all top BJP leaders including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Dr Raman Singh, he said that they became leaders not because of any family link, but because of their hard work.

Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his failures, specially corruption, he said that the country has not seen such a corrupt government in its history and policy paralysis affecting economic growth.

"For the first time in the country there is a policy paralysis as the economic growth has come down to five per cent from the eight per cent which is a matter of concern," Jaitley said.

Referring to last week's Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh that resulted in the killing of senior Congress leaders among others, Jaitley said he was surprised to hear later that Congress was fighting against naxals in the country.

On the contrary, the fact is that the party's leaders like Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh and Mani Shankar Aiyar had earlier opposed the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram when he termed Maoists as a major threat for the country and decided to deal with them in a tough manner.

"If there is any government in the country which is fighting against naxals with full might, it is only the government of Raman Singh," he said.

He also praised the BJP government led by Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh for developing roads, providing power and water to the people.

He said that earlier Madhya Pradesh was known as a BIMARU state, but now it was an example of a 'turn-around state' because of good governance.

Addressing party workers, BJP General Secretary in-charge of MP, Anant Kumar urged them to increase the party's vote percentage to ensure success not only at the state level but at the national level as well.