Congress dubs Rita Bahuguna as betrayer, claims Amit Shah amassing 'army of traitors' for UP polls

Putting up a brave face, Congress on Thursday dubbed Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who joined BJP, as a "betrayer", alleging that she has a family history of switching sides, and insisted that Amit Shah would not be able to gain anything in UP by amassing an "army of traitors".

Congress' UP unit chief Raj Babbar also dismissed her criticism of Rahul Gandhi, saying leaders like here who pursued "selfish politics" were afraid that the Congress Vice President was bringing democracy in the party and asserted that Bahuguna's exit will have no bearing on Congress and its prospects in the poll-bound state. "Rita Bahuguna Joshi has exhibited betrayal as the party leadership had entrusted full faith in her. Joshi has been a teacher of history and probably that's why she is repeating her family history of switching sides.

"This is the fourth or fifth such change in her family. Her quitting would make no difference to the Congress party's prospects in Uttar Pradesh, just as her brother joining BJP made no difference in Uttarakhand," he told reporters. Launching an attack on BJP, he said the party is showing that it has no faith left in its own leaders. "In its quest for victory in UP polls, BJP is amassing an army of traitors from other parties. It seems the BJP, which has 71 MPs in the poll-bound state, does not have faith in its own leaders and that is why it is importing party leaders from outside," he said.

Reacting to Joshi's exit, party general secretary and incharge of party affairs in UP Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Opportunist leaders do not stick to one place. The real thing was that she is unlikely to win from her seat as the contest was tough." Asked about Joshi's attack on Rahul Gandhi's leadership qualities, Babbar said all such leaders who acted as "satraps" were feeling insecure as the "kingdoms" of various "Godfathers" were being demolished by the Congress Vice President.

"People who are doing politics for their selfish interest and gains are feeling insecure in Congress as Rahul Gandhi is doing such politics which is harming the interests of such 'satraps'. Rahul Gandhi is fighting for democracy within the party," he said. To a question on whether there is any need for introspection within the Congress in the wake of some leaders quitting the party in recent past, Babbar said, "introspection has started within the party. That is why 'satraps' are falling apart and leading the party."  

"Her opponent this time is Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav"s younger brother"s wife and that is why she (Rita Bahuguna) was looking for a safe seat since long, because she thought that she won't win. That safe seat she searched in the SP, BSP, and now went to the BJP," said Azad, who is also the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

Stating that "opportunist leaders don't stick to one place", Azad added: "She was in the Congress; then went to the SP; and now she is in the BJP. Where will she go tomorrow" This is opportunism. So, her allegations were her excuses to move out of the Congress, whereas in reality she is not in a position to win a seat in the upcoming elections, because her opponent is very strong." She has been negotiating with various political parties in since long, and she stuck a deal with a party and joined it, Azad claimed. "Her father was famous nation-wide for his secular credentials and fought against the communal forces, and if today his daughter joins a communal political party, it is painful," he added.

Addressing journalists after joining the BJP at its headquarters here today, disgruntled Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, "Today, I resigned from the Congress Party and joined the BJP. It was not an easy decision to take, but I took it for the betterment of the nation and the state after a long consideration. My political career has been of 27 years thus far, of which I spent 24 years with the Congress Party and for 10 months with the Samajwadi Party. I worked for the Congress with full dedication and honesty for 24 years," she said while addressing journalists after joining the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi. 

"I am unhappy with incidents that took place in the past few days. Our country is struggling with terrorism and in this direction the Narendra Modi government took a very decisive decision when he gave a freehand to the India Army to cross the Line of Control (LoC), which included the will to accept any results that would have emerged out of the surgical strike, though the result was good," she said. "This happened for the first time and the success that we got was not only an achievement for the army but also for the government. When the whole world accepted that we carried out surgical strikes, I didn't like the way the Congress and other parties questioned it. Words like "Khoon ki dalali" were used that saddened me," Joshi added.

"Prashant Kishor could be a poll manager, but he certainly is not the poll director. But, unfortunately, the entire direction and leadership of the election has been given into his hands. How long we have to walk, when we will stand and sit, all these things were told to us a day before, despite the fact that leaders are grass-roots workers. Nothing could be more unfortunate than handing over the party on contract (to Prashant Kishor)," she said, adding that even senior leaders of the Congress are unable to put across their point in the party.

Sonia Gandhi understands the organisation; she used to listen to us irrespective of whatever decision she took; but, in the leadership of Rahulji even this is not possible (to get your point across). The people of Uttar Pradesh are not ready to accept his leadership so as the whole country. Even senior Congress leaders are not happy with him. However, the fact is that Rahul Gandhi was unable to provide the kind of leadership that a national party like the Congress needs. The people have rejected his leadership," she alleged, adding that only the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could bring about development in Uttar Pradesh.