Will Cong tail a 'hotchpotch' group in 2019: Jaitley's poser

Taking a dig at Congress after its poor show in assembly polls, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the party has been pushed to margins and wondered whether it will "stand behind a hotchpotch combination" of regional parties in 2019 lok Sabha elections.

Putting a series of posers to Congress, Jaitley also asked whether it would evolve into a structured party with a galaxy of leaders or remain a dynastic party despite having suffered a series of electoral reverses.

In a Facebook post, Jaitley said the Central Government will work closely with all the five elected state governments for the larger welfare of the people.

The results of the five State Assemblies in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, which went to poll in the last two months are on expected lines, he said. While BJP alliance won in Assam, the Congress lost power in Assam and Kerala.

"Post 2014 General Elections, the Congress has increasingly adopted fringe positions. It didn't behave as a natural party of governance. Its obstructionism was blended with its leader's 'rent a cause' approach. The Congress is, today, threatened with being pushed increasingly to the margins.

"Will it be the main challenger to the BJP-led NDA in 2019 or will it stand behind a hotchpotch combination of ideologically disparate regional groupsIJ What is the nature of 'surgery' the party leaders are now talking aboutIJ Will the Congress evolve into a structured party with a galaxy of leaders or will it remain a dynastic partyIJ" he said.