BJP playing dirty politics in Vajpayee's name: Congress

The Congress slammed the BJP for “politicising” the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by taking out a procession of urns carrying his ashes throughout the country, particularly in poll-bound states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

“The way BJP is using Atalji's memory for political purposes is condemnable,” AICC General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said, citing the displeasure voiced by Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla against BJP's 'Atal Asthi Kalash Yatra'.

Shukla, a former BJP MP from Chhattisgarh, had quit the party and joined the Congress ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. She  lost the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket.

Shukla's remarks followed the Chhattisgarh government's  decision to rename its administrative capital Naya Raipur as 'Atal Nagar' in memory of the former prime minister.

“Even former PM's family members are realising and criticising. In last nine years BJP never uttered Atalji's name and now it is playing dirty politics,” Gehlot said.

BJP was doing just the opposite of what Vajpayee believed in, Gehlot said, adding that the ruling party stands fully exposed by politicising the former PM's death.

Vajpayee's ashes were immersed in the Cauvery river by BJP leaders, including Union Minister Ananth Kumar and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday.

BJP's allies also joined the 'Atal Asthi Kalash Yatra' with LJP chief and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan joining BJP leaders in immersing Vajpayee's ashes in the river Ganga at Konhara Ghat in his Lok Sabha constituency of Hajipur in Bihar.