BJP functioning like mafia, running syndicates in Assam: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Monday alleged the ruling BJP in Assam was functioning like a mafia and running syndicates.

Addressing a rally, the Congress general secretary said, the saffron party in the state has two "factions", both of which have betrayed people.

The Congress leader compared Assam's BJP leadership with 'Dritarashtra' and 'Shakuni', characters in the epic Mahabharata, without naming whom she meant.

Dhritarashtra was known to be a blind ruler while Shakuni was a political manipulator.

"...in the Assam government, there is a Shakuni Mama- like leader and a Dritarashtra. Both of them and the BJP have betrayed the people of Assam."

"The 'Dritarashtra' who was at one time called 'Jatiya Nayak' (people's leader) betrayed the six ethnic communities whom he had promised to get included in the Scheduled Tribes list. But did not do so," she said.

She alleged that the other leader is like "Shakuni Mama who runs a corrupt government that only cheats people".

Continuing her attack on the ruling party, she claimed, "BJP has not been able to decide who will be their chief ministerial candidate. They are not able to respect their own chief minister and spell out the name. If there is no stability and unity in the party, then how will it bring stability to Assam and assure the people to give a stable government?"