Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha on Saturday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the recent political turmoil in Datia. He said the developments indicate that all is not well within the ruling party and claimed the internal conflict could benefit Congress in the 2028 Assembly elections. Speaking to media persons in Jabalpur, Tankha referred to the protests by BJP workers in Datia after the party denied a bypoll ticket to former State Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra and instead fielded Ashutosh Tiwari.

 

Without naming individuals, Tankha said BJP workers have come out on the streets over the alleged neglect of a senior leader. “I have never seen such a situation in the BJP before. There is an atmosphere of turmoil and unrest,” he said. He added that the developments are an internal matter of the BJP, but they should be a cause of concern for the party. Tankha said if the internal conflict continues in the same manner, it could lead to a larger rebellion within the party and make the path easier for the Congress in the 2028 Assembly elections. The Congress leader also criticised the Government’s handling of the alleged donation theft case linked to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

 

He said the Ram Temple is a symbol of faith for millions of people and Lord Ram belongs to everyone. Referring to the temple management, Tankha alleged that the trust and committee were dominated by a political party-backed members. He said public anger over the alleged donation theft was natural. Tankha further said that if a similar case had occurred in another country, several people would have resigned by now. He alleged that despite reports of a donation theft involving crores of rupees, action had been taken against only two persons, which he termed as inadequate.