Jyotiraditya's exit from Congress can open floodgates, no self-respecting leader can survive suffocating atmosphere: Vadakkan

By Pragya Kaushika

New Delhi [India], Mar 14 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tom Vadakkan on Saturday said that Jyotiraditya Scindia's exit could open the floodgates in Congress as no leader having "self-respect can survive in a suffocating environment".

Vadakkan, who had joined BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls last year, said Scindia would prove to be an asset to the BJP.

"While Scindia joining the BJP would prove to be an asset for the party, this begs reiteration that no self-respecting leader can survive in a suffocating environment of sycophants that now exist in Congress. His exit has also signalled the opening of flood gates. I am sure that filters are in place to weed out the migratory," Vaddakan told .

Vadakkan, who completed a year in BJP on Saturday, had left the Congress. He was considered close to Congress leadership.

Vadakkan said that he did not join the BJP for a position and he has strived to carry out responsibilities given to him.

"My focus was and is the spirit of nationalism. While divisive forces were trying to tear our country apart, BJP stood up against the tirade of pseudo secularists and their international ecosystems," he said.

Vadakkan, who was also an AICC secretary and worked in Congress for many years, said "leadership crisis, ideological vacuum and lack of policy and direction had created the present state of affairs in the Congress".

Some leaders of Delhi Congress, who had joined BJP, went back to the party. They include former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely.

"Leadership crisis is only one of the factors for the crisis in Congress. Ideological vacuum, lack of policy and direction along with the betrayal of workers are the key factors that have grounded the Congress," Vadakkan said.

( With inputs from ANI )