Why is BJP fielding deserters if there is Narendra Modi wave: Congress

Plagued by desertions, Congress today dismissed the contention that its leaders are quitting due to its bleak poll prospects and asked BJP why it was keen to field such candidates if there is a wave for Narendra Modi as claimed by the saffron party.

"There are two kinds of waves. One is natural and the other is fan created. BJP has the other wave. If there is strong support for the cadre based BJP and there is a wave for Narendra Modi, why are they inducting our leaders and fielding them," party spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said.

He was responding to questions on its MP from Garhwal Satpal Maharaj joining BJP today. The 62-year-old leader has been with Congress all along barring a few years in 90s when he joined the breakaway Congress (Tiwari).

Former Home Minister and one-time senior Congress leader Buta Singh's candidature was announced for Lok Sabha election on a Samajwadi Party ticket from Jalore constituency in Rajasthan.

Singh, who also served as the Union Agriculture Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi cabinet at the Centre between 1984 and 1986, was elected to Lok Sabha eight times between 1962 and 2004. He was Home Minister between 1986 and 1989.

Hailing from Jalandhar in Punjab, Singh was also the Governor of Bihar from 2004 to 2006 and a former chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes between 2007 and 2010.

Gohil, however, downplayed the desertions saying such things happen in the election season. "And one who engages in more horsetrading manages to take such people," he said.