The Union Health Minister and senior BJP leader JP Nadda has been appointed as the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Piyush Goyal.
Nadda continues to hold the Chemicals and Fertilizers portfolio in the Cabinet. There was speculation about Nadda stepping down from his position as BJP National President, which he has held since 2020, succeeding Amit Shah.
However, it appears he will retain this role for now. As per the party rules, a National President can only be elected after organizational elections are completed in at least 50% of all states, a process expected to take about six months to conclude.
On the other hand, Nadda wrote to Confress President Mallikarjun Kharge, questioning the stoic silence of his party on the recent hooch tragedy was entirely a man-made disaster, said Nadda in his letter to Kharge, adding ‘Perhaps if the deep nexus between the ruling DMK-INDI alliance dispensation and illicit liquor mafia did not exist today, 56 lives could have been saved’.
Nadda said the images of burning funeral pyres from Karunapuram village in Kallakurichi in the aftermath of Tamil Nadu’s worst-ever liquor consumption tragedy, which has left 56 dead until now and almost 159 persons hospitalized, has shaken the conscience of the entire nation.
The BJP president said, ‘Kharge ji, as you know Karunapuram is largely populated by the Scheduled Castes, who face several challenges due to poverty and discrimination in Tamil Nadu. In light of this, I was shocked that when such a huge disaster has taken place, the Congress party led by you, has maintained a stoic silence on this’.
He added, ‘Certain issues require us to rise above and beyond party lines and the welfare and safety of the SC, ST community is one such issue’.
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