Victory of dynastic politics: BJP on Priyanka Gandhi’s nomination for Wayanad bypoll

AGENCIES

NEW DELHI:  The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi family on Thursday, saying Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's nomination for the Wayanad bypoll is a victory of dynastic and defeat of merit.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also alleged discrepancies in the declaration of assets in Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi's poll affidavit.

Addressing a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here, he accused the Gandhi family of “insulting” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit, by not allowing him to accompany Priyanka Gandhi to the returning officer's office for filing her nomination.

“It is a victory of the Gandhi family's corruption and dynastic politics, and defeat of merit,” Bhatia said, slamming the Congress over Priyanka Gandhi's nomination for the Wayanad bypoll in Kerala.

Bhatia claimed that the assets declared by Priyanka Gandhi in her poll affidavit are way below the assets she and her husband Robert Vadra possess.

“The assets of Robert Vadra declared in the poll affidavit are lower than the income-tax department's demand…. The total demand raised by the income-tax department is Rs 75 crore,” he said, alleging that Priyanka Gandhi's poll affidavit is a confession of corruption committed by the Gandhi family and Vadra. She has also shown the value of her house in much lower than what it is, Bhatia alleged. Gandhi on Wednesday filed the nomination for her maiden electoral battle from Wayanad. In her affidavit filed for the bypoll, she has declared assets worth more than Rs 12 crore, including a Rs 5.63-crore house in Shimla. The Congress candidate has also declared that her husband, Vadra, has movable assets worth more than Rs 37.9 crore and immovable assets worth over Rs 27.64 crore. According to her declaration, she had a total income of more than Rs 46.39 lakh in the 2023-2024 financial year, including rental income and interest from banks and other investments.