PATNA: Supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s view on family-based political parties, chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said such parties might hold sway for “some days” but their long-term survival would not be possible.
Reacting to the PM’s statement that family-based parties are a matter of great concern for those who want to protect the Constitution and India is headed towards a crisis because of such political parties, Nitish said, “It is true that the family-based parties are causing damage to the country.”
“We believe since the very beginning of our political journey that there is no requirement of family-based parties in a democracy. Today, some people want to place themselves, members of their families and their children in politics. There should be no place for dynasty in politics, but today several parties are walking on the path of dynasty politics,” Nitish said.
Earlier in the day, the PM had said in New Delhi that India was heading towards “a kind of a crisis” because of the family-based parties and described it as a matter of concern for people who believe in democracy.
“Party for the family, by the family. Do I need to say more? If a party is run by one family for many generations, it isn’t good for a healthy democracy... look at the political parties from Kashmir to Kanyakumari,” Modi said while addressing the Constitution Day event in the national capital.
“By family-based politics, I don’t mean that more than one member of a family can’t enter politics. On the basis of potential, with people’s blessing, people can join politics. But if a political party – generation after generation – is run by one family, it becomes a threat for democracy,” Modi said.
