Sri Lanka plays down alleged comments by BJP

Sri Lanka today played down comments allegedly made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over plans to expand their party in the neighbouring countries like Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Cabinet co-spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said that there has not been a formal confirmation from the BJP over such moves.

He said that Tripura Chief Minister, Biplab Kumar Deb had claimed that the BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made the statement.

However, he said that Amit Shah had not admitted to making such a statement nor is there any evidence that he made such a comment.

?We will not respond to hear say. However, if such a statement was made, we do not think the public will allow such a move,? he said.

The Tripura CM while addressing party workers in Agartala had claimed that at a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was then BJP national president, he had said that the BJP plans to expand to Sri Lanka and Nepal.

?We were talking in the state guest house when Ajay Jamwal (northeast zonal secretary of BJP) said that BJP had formed its government in several states of India. In reply, Shah said that now Sri Lanka and Nepal are left. We have to expand the party in Sri Lanka, Nepal and win there to form a government,? East Mojo quoted Deb as saying.

Hailing Amit Shah?s leadership of the BJP, Deb said that it was under him that his party had become the world?s largest party, by breaking the records of Communists, who were known to make claims of being a global party.

The Tripura chief minister further said that BJP was working in Kerala to end ?flip-flop government? and to install a government headed by its leadership. Similarly, he exuded confidence that people of West Bengal would bid goodbye to TMC leader Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming elections, and that ?lotus will bloom? across the country, including in Tamil Nadu. (Colombo Gazette)