By IANS,
Lucknow : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday distanced itself from comments made by its leader Varun Gandhi in which he said statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati would be replaced with those of Lord Rama if the party came to power in the 2012 assembly elections.
“Those were his personal comments. The party will act within constitutional rights,” party’s state chief Surya Pratap Shahi told reporters here.
“The party has yet to take a decision on the issue (related to replacement of Mayawati statues with that of Lord Rama). It was his (Varun Gandhi’s) personal opinion,” added Shahi.
At a function organised Wednesday at the BJP office in Lucknow to welcome the party’s new state unit chief, Gandhi said: “We are determined to replace the statues of Mayawati and install statues of Lord Rama in those places.”
“After several years, there appears a ray of hope. We are confident we would be voted to power under the leadership of our newly-elected state chief,” he added.
Gandhi accused Mayawati of targeting BJP activists for being vocal against her “anti-people policies”.
“Once we come to power, those harassing us will definitely have to face action for their ill-deeds,” Gandhi said.