Leaders leaving since Cong works only for benefit of its 'first family': BJP's Dinesh Sharma

This is the reason leaders are leaving the Congress. Sharma claimed the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra was seeing seat sharing tussles because the alliance was formed by the Congress, NCPSP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena UBT for personal gains.

The BJP's Maharashtra election in charge Dinesh Sharma on Friday said leaders were leaving the Congress because that party's sole motive is the benefit of its ''first family''.

Speaking in Wardha, Sharma, a former Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister, said the nation was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's family, adding that citizens will vote overwhelmingly for him since the upcoming Lok Sabha polls is a ''battle between nationalists and opportunists''.

Sharma alluded to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra reportedly seeking a Lok Sabha ticket and said, ''The welfare of the first family is the sole motive of the Congress. This is the reason leaders are leaving the Congress.'' Sharma claimed the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra was seeing seat sharing tussles because the alliance was formed by the Congress, NCP(SP) and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) for personal gains. In Chandrapur, Sharma said the opposition was making personal comments on the PM but he was moving forward with determination to ensure the country's progress.

He also slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray for not attending office when he was CM during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Thackeray stalled metro rail and other development projects, and also jailed an MP for chanting Hanuman Chalisa, Sharma said.

''The MVA government was against followers of Sanatan Dharma. The Constitution gives us freedom to follow our religious beliefs but the MVA trampled upon this right,'' he claimed.