Reacting to the remark of BJP national party president Amit Shah about hereditary politics in BJD, veteran politician and former five-time MlA Arun Dey claimed that the trend prevails in every political parties.
Dey said that Bijubabu never favoured hereditary politics. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was not brought to politics by his father Biju; it was the then Prime Minister IK Gujral who persuaded him to join politics after demise of his father, asserted Dey.
“Shah may not be aware of the political history of India. It was Gujral who succeeded in convincing Naveen Patnaik to join politics after death of Bijubabu to fill the void. Similarly, Indira Gandhi was brought to politics by people of India and other leaders after Nehru. However, hereditary politics exists in all political parties; in some cases it is even acute in BJP,” Dey said.
“Here in India if a former Sarpanch is not able to fight elections, either his or her spouse or their sons and daughters are given priority.
Everyone in politics avails the opportunity whenever there is a chance,” said the former lawmaker.