Jitendra Singh mocks TMC, says family-centred parties have limited life

Union Minister Jitendra Singh commented on the TMC's internal rift, saying family-centred parties have a limited lifespan and their decline begins after losing power. He also noted that the BJP, being a cadre-based party, never faced splits.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Friday took a dig at Trinamool Congress leadership over the rift in the party after defeat in the assembly polls and said all the family-centred parties have a very limited life span, and their decline begins when they lose power.

In an interview with ANI, the Union Minister also said that rift can also occur when the next generation takes responsibilities. "All the family-centred parties have a very limited life span, and their decline begins when they lose power... Another decline begins when the next generation comes in, and they start fighting among themselves... I think this was expected, and it had to happen this way," he said. He was answering a query about turmoil in Trinamool Congress and its impact on opposition unity.

BJP a Cadre-Based Party, Says Singh

Asked about opposition allegations that splits are being engineered by BJP for muster support as delimitation bill will be brought again to Parliament, the Union Minister said BJP did not face splits even as it remained in opposition for decades as it is a cadre-based party. "BJP is the only party that remained in the opposition for almost 50 years... We did not have governments in the states, yet we did not split. Because this is a cadre-based party... RSS is not a kind of legacy family; it is an organisational family," he said.

'Decline of Congress Has Begun'

Answering another query, Jitendra Singh, who is also Union Minister Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the PMO, Department of Personnel and Training, Atomic Energy and Space, said the decline of Congress has already begun.

Turmoil in Trinamool Congress

The Trinamool Congress has faced rebellion as 20 of its Lok Sabha MPs have written to the Speaker seeking separate sitting arrangement in the House. They said they have merged with National Citizens Party of India and will support the BJP-led NDA government.

A Trinamool Congress delegation, led by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday to convey the party's viewpoint and challenge the legitimacy of the breakaway group of 20 TMC MPs. The party has filed 20 disqualification petitions against the rebel MPs.

Trinamool Congress has also faced rebellion from "a large section" of its MLAs.

Shiv Sena-UBT Faces Potential Split

The Shiv Sena-UBT also appears on the verge of second split with six of its nine Lak Sabha MPs not attending the parliamentary party meeting called yesterday. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)