Politics / MP Cong compares Jitin Prasada to 'garbage', deletes tweet later

New Delhi: Hours after former union minister Jitin Prasada joined the BJP, the MP unit of Congress took a seemingly nasty jibe saying the party is "happy" at his "leaving" and compared his switching sides to the process of putting "kuda" (garbage) in "kudadaan" (dustbin)". The tweet was later deleted from the official handle of Madhya Pradesh Congress.

"Jitin Prasada ke jaane se Congress khush hai - Yeh ek kuda kudedaan mein daalne jaisi samanya prakirya hai (Congress is happy with Jitin Prasada leaving the party. This is like normal process of throwing garbage in the dustbin)," the Madhya Pradesh Congress said in its tweet.

The Chhattisgarh unit of the party also took a swipe at Prasada.

"Jitin Prasada ji ka Congress chorne ke liye dhaywad. (Thank you Jitin Prasadaji for leaving Congress)."

Prasada, former MP from Uttar Pradesh's Dharahura, joined the BJP in the presence of Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal at the party headquarters.

Prasada belongs to a political family in Uttar Pradesh which worked in Congress for decades.

He joined the BJP ahead of assembly polls early next year and his decision is being seen as a jolt to the Congress which was trying to revive itself in the crucial state under guidance of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Prasada was among the young frontline leaders of the Congress, especially in Uttar Pradesh.

In his remarks, Prasada said he took the decision after a lot of deliberation.

I have a three-generation connection with Congress, so I took this important decision after a lot of deliberation. In the last 8-10 years I have felt that if there is one party that is truly national, it is BJP. Other parties are regional but this is the national party," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed Prasada in the party and said his inclusion would surely make the BJP stronger in the state.

Prasada started his career with Indian Youth Congress as a general secretary. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2004 for the first time and served as a minister in the UPA government.

Another young leader and a heavyweight, Jyotiraditya Scindia, had joined the BJP in March 2020 after quitting Congress.