Congress on Thursday sought to dismiss the criticism that the party is facing after its spokesperson Tom Vadakkan joined the BJP, saying that till now he used to "abuse" Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a huge embarrassment to the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Vadakkan, once a key aide of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, joined the BJP and attacked his former party for its stand on the Balakot air strikes.
Vadakkan, who joined the saffron party in the presence of Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, and later met its president Amit Shah, said, "I am deeply hurt and that is why I am here."
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Asserting that the Congress questioned the integrity of armed forces, he said, "The attack by Pakistan on our land and the reaction from my party was sad indeed."
"I left the party with heavy heart. If a party is working against national interest, there is no other option but to leave it," Vadakkan told reporters.
Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said when asked about Vadakkan joining the BJP, said "our best wishes to him".
Asked about Vadakkan citing dynastic politics and the Congress's stand on the Pulwama terror attack and India's retaliatory strikes as his reasons for quitting the party, Surjewala said every person who leaves a party to join another party "searching for a better future", has to say something.
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"Till now he used to abuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi, so what is the opinion of Modi ji and Ravi Shankar ji on that," he said.
PTI
