Regional leaders like Nitish and Mamata thrived on RSS, BJP support: Uma Bharti

New Delhi: Union Water Resource minister Uma Bharti has attributed the emergence of regional leaders like Nitish Kumar and Mamata Banerjee to Bharatiya Janata party and its parent wing RSS.

In an interview to news agency PTI, Bharti said, "Regional satraps like Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar emerged on the political firmament with BJP and RSS support without which they would not remain strong for long."

The senior BJP leader also said the country is already on course to become 'Congress mukt' (free from Congress) and that the party's dipping fortunes could be attributed to it having remained "captive to a family".

Bharti, who had trashed the possibility of Sonia Gandhi becoming the prime minister in 2004, said she has "love and respect" for her on a personal level but Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi "does not exist" in her mind.

When reminded how Trinamool Congress and Nitish Kumar-led alliance foiled BJP's expansion plans in West Bengal and Bihar, she said, "Has Mamata Banerjee become what she is just like that? She emerged due to hard work of Sangh workers. Nitish Kumar did not emerge on his own. Nitish, Lalu got strength from us. They all will gradually become ineffective. Mamata and Nitish will not win next time. Mark my words, we will form government in Bihar next time," she said.

Once the Hindutva mascot of BJP, Bharti was dismissive of regional parties posing any challenge to her party which she said lent its support base to them in the past around which "formidable fronts" were built to take on the Congress.

"We together used to wipe out Congress. Communists and socialist parties do this drama that we are communal. All of them have fought alongside us. In 1977, we came together. In 1966, we came together. We came together in 1989. When was the taboo? When did we not come together? This is all drama and hypocrisy of socialists and communists," she said.

While CPI had supported Congress during Emergency, CPI-M was opposed to it.

"They think people's memory is short. All of them had come with us when he fought against Congress," she said.

Replying to a question about her party's pitch for a Congress-free India and whether she believed it was happening, Ms Bharti said," Yes, I feel so. I feel the nation is on course to become Congress-free. I clearly see it. In different places regional parties are in power. We will be here for a long time....we will play a long innings. Sooner the Congress realises this the better."

Congress, she said, had adopted a "self-destructive" approach by not allowing leaders from outside the family to grow.

"Congress never allowed any dynamic, youthful, energetic leader with support base to grow. It remained captive to the family and the family's credibility has been finished. They have become a subject of ridicule. Congress had some very strong leaders but they did not give importance to them," she said.

She praised former prime minister Narasimha Rao and said had Congress wished the party could have freed itself from dynastic politics then.

"But all of a sudden Arjun Singh and Narayan Dutt Tiwari played a dirty game and revived the family. The consequence is that the family is getting finished," she said.

Both Mr Singh and Mr Tiwari had rebelled and launched 'All India Indira Congress', which played spoilsport during 1996 elections, denying Mr Rao a second term, she said.

To questions about Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her Rahul Gandhi, Ms Bharti said she respects the Congress president because she had come to India as a 'bahu' (daughter-in-law) and continued to live in the country even after her husband Rajiv Gandhi's death.

"She also made a place for her in Indian politics. I also respect her as a woman. I love and respect her on a personal level, though I oppose her politically," Ms Bharti said.

On Mr Gandhi and his likely elevation as Congress president, she said,"Rahul has no existence in my mind. Rest is for their party (to decide). They can make him whatever they like. In my view, he is not even fit for me to comment on."

Asserting that the BJP will form its government in Uttar Pradesh, Ms Bharti ruled out the possibility of the party meeting the same fate as in Bihar.

"In Bihar, there was hardly any possibility of our getting majority. At one time we (BJP), Lalu and Nitish were together. When Lalu became CM for the first time we were all together.

(PTI inputs)