Sitting Arunachal Pradesh Member of Parliament and frontrunning Indian National Congress (INC) Western parliamentary constituency candidate Takam Sanjoy has exposed both the dishonesty of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Congress-turned-BJP opponent Kiren Rijiju.
In a statement issued to the media, Sanjoy said: "The dishonesty of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its candidate Rijiju has come to the forefront with his repeated denial of joining the Congress. Dishonesty needs no proof in the public domain, as people are wise in this IT age."
Sanjoy further claimed that Rijiju had joined the Congress Party in presence of former chief minister, Dorjee Khandu, home minister Jarbom Gamlin, himself and media persons in the conference hall of the chief minister's secretariat here on August 24, 2009.
At that time, it was also formally announced by the then Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and now Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
"The news item can be cross checked from local dailies, while the CD of the event is available with me," said Sanjoy.
He added: "If this is proof enough, would my good friend (Rijiju) have the guts to withdraw himself from the political race as has been announced by him?"
Sanjoy further said that "Rijiju contradicted himself at his residence at IG Park on March 31 that "Soniaji had wrung him up for giving a ministerial berth to him (Sanjoy) for which he was with the Congress leaders, but to not join the party."
"If he was not in the Congress, why would Soniaji ring him (Rijiju) up? If I was to be given a ministerial berth, why would Soniaji ring him up?"
Rijiju's statement is clear that either he is out of his mind or he was too nervous during his public address.
He also said that it was wrong on Rijiju's part to state that Khandu, the people's chief minister, had apologised for defeating him fraudulently.
This, he said, is another tactic to befool the masses.
"Shri Rijiju has accused a leader, who cannot defend himself, reflecting how low he can stoop in the name of politics, while claiming that he is an honest leader," said Sanjoy.
Pointing out that the Congress believes in value-based politics, Sanjoy urged Rijiju to reply to the queries and to allow people to scrutinise his statement for authenticity.
It maybe recalled that on August 24, 2009, Rijiju joined the Congress Party after quitting as the BJP's national secretary.
His joining the Congress was approved by AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
Then APCC president Nabam Tuki had announced Rijiju's joining at a press conference in the presence of Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, Home Minister Jarbom Gamlin and Lok Sabha member Takam Sanjoy.
At that time, Rijiju's exit was a major political jolt for the BJP, as it was already dealing with the controversy surrounding the expulsion of senior party leader Jaswant Singh and the resignation of Sudheendra Kulkarni, a close aide of Atal Behari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani.
Rijiju then was regarded as one of the ten promising young parliamentarians of the 14th Lok Sabha.
His joining the Congress then was described as a homecoming of sorts, as he had initially groomed by the Congress Party.
Tuki had then said that Rijiju's re-entry into the Congress would certainly strengthen the party.
Rijiju had then his major political decision was inspired by his love for doing better for the state.
The Congress, not the BJP, would provide the best platform to do so, he had said then.
He said that he had accepted the proposal of AICC general secretary V Narayansamy to join the Congress to strengthen the hands of Khandu and work for the sensitive border state.
