'Congress is Bhasmasur': Rijiju hits back at Rahul Gandhi over 'party breaking' charge

NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at the Congress over its allegations that the BJP breaks other political parties, saying the charge should instead be directed at the Congress itself."What Rahul Gandhi and Congress should be saying for themselves is what they are saying for the BJP. Congress party is the 'Bhasmasur' which burns to ashes every party that comes into contact with them...TMC had emerged out of the Congress party. NCP had emerged out of the Congress party. Congress is accusing us but they themselves had broken out of another party. So, it is the Congress that breaks and burns other parties," Rijiju said.Rijiju said the BJP's growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not involved breaking another political party."Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, BJP has emerged as the world's largest party but that didn't happen by breaking any other party. We do not play dirty like the Congress," he said.The development comes after the Election Commission on Friday allotted the Mamata Banerjee-led faction the name "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress" and the "Football Player" symbol. The rival faction led by Arup Roy was allotted the name "Democratic Trinamool Congress" and the "Envelope" symbol.The ECI issued the order under Article 324 of the Constitution and Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968, in Dispute Case No. 01 of 2026 involving the two rival factions.Pending the final determination of the dispute, neither the faction led by Arup Roy, the petitioner, nor the faction led by Mamata Banerjee, the respondent, has been permitted to use the original party name "All India Trinamool Congress" or the reserved "Flowers & Grass" symbol.Rahul Gandhi had criticised the move, alleging a pattern of the BJP and the Election Commission working together to split political parties and take away their election symbols."First Shiv Sena, then NCP, and now Trinamool Congress. Every time, the same pattern—BJP and the Election Commission join forces to split a party. Then its election symbol is snatched away," the Congress leader said."When an entire party can be stolen, it's hardly surprising that the votes of millions of Indians can be stolen too," he added.Following the ECI order, Mamata Banerjee termed the move unconstitutional and alleged that it was driven by political vendetta.Reacting to the freeze on the original party name and the "Flowers & Grass" symbol, Banerjee said, "We don't disrespect the Constitutional Chair, but we feel today is a black day in our democratic history. What is happening in our country is very unfortunate, unconstitutional, illegal, undemocratic and a totally biased vendetta to satisfy the ego of a political party."Banerjee also announced that her TMC faction would extend support to the Congress in the Nandigram bypoll, saying the decision had been taken in the "greater interest of the nation".Following the announcement, Sanchita Pradhan, the faction's candidate from the Nandigram Assembly constituency, withdrew her nomination, leaving the faction without a candidate in the seat ahead of the October 6 polling.The Congress has fielded Milan Pradhan from Nandigram, while the CPI has nominated Shanti Gopal Giri. The BJP's Hasirani Rath is also contesting the bypoll.The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari gave up the constituency and chose to retain Bhabanipur, where he defeated Mamata Banerjee in the 2026 Assembly elections.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.