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BJP using Vajpayee’s name to win Assembly polls, alleges former PM’s niece Karuna Shukla

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s niece Karun Shukla slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh for using her uncle’s name for narrow political gains.

In a video message, which has gone viral, Karuna Shukla alleged that though the BJP governments are in power at the Centre and several states, these leaders never uttered Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name.

"In the last nine years where Assembly elections were held, no mention was made of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name or his achievements," she said.

For the first time, she said, PM Modi took Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name on Independence Day at the Red Fort.

"PM Modi did that because he had gone to see Vajpayee in AIIMS on August 14. He had perhaps realised that the former PM’s condition was quite delicate. Perhaps therefore, he took his name," she said.

Karuna Shukla was a BJP MP from Janjgir in Chhattisgarh from 2004 to 2009. However, she lost the next Lok Sabha election from Korba in the same state to Congress’s Charan Das Mahant. She resigned from the BJP in 2013 and joined the Congress.

Karuna Shukla had a word of advice for PM Modi. She said instead of walking for five kms behind Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cortege, he should take two steps and follow the former prime minister’s ideals.

She said this would hugely benefit the country.

"I am also pained at the manner in which PM Modi has been humiliating the BJP’s senior-most leader LK Advani," she said.

Karuna Shukla accused Modi and Amit Shah of "using" Vajpayee’s name in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in four states later this year. "They think by using his name, the BJP will be able to win elections in these four states," she said.

She also attacked Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh and said he thinks that he had got a fresh lease of life because of Vajpayee’s death. "He held a Cabinet meeting and decided to name a university and Naya Raipur after Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name," she said.

However, the people understand the capabilities, designs and misdeeds of these BJP leaders. The people will pour cold water over their plans and hopes, Karuna Shukla said.