“Left Congress Due To Use & Throw Politics”: Tom Vadakkan On Joining BJP

Tom Vadakkan, Congress’ strongman, who has also been a four-time MLA said ” left Congress due to use & throw politics” as he joined BJP on Thursday.

Tom Vadakkan, a Congress stalwart in a surprising move left his former party and joined BJP on Thursday afternoon before the upcoming national elections to be held in this April-May.

“If a political party takes such a position that is against the country, then I’m left with no option but to leave the party,” Mr. Vadakkan said. He also said he believed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development goals.

Party sources admitted that Mr. Vadakkan’s move while being expected, can be a setback psychologically.

Mr Vadakkan, who had been with the Congress for nearly 20 years, had never been part of electoral politics.

Seated by BJP’s Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a press conference today, Mr. Vadakkan said he has given his “prime years” to the Congress. Accusing the party of having “dynastic politics” and a “use and throw culture” he said, “It is not acceptable, there’s no place in it for self-respecting people”.

Sources said Mr Vadakkan had been keen on a ticket to contest elections and the BJP is likely to have promised him one.

Mr. Vadakkan was the second key opposition leader to shift to the BJP today. Arjun Singh, Trinamool Congress lawmaker from Bengal’s Bhatpara assembly seat, too switched sides in New Delhi on Thursday afternoon.

“We give him our wishes. Anyone who wants to leave the party for somewhere else for a better future has to say something. I am hopeful people will ask what the BJP thinks about the kind of attacks he has made on them in the past,” Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

Stay tuned for more updates!