Co-Cabinet spokesman holds back reaction on BJP claim, says ’’no confirmation’’

The Sri Lankan government will need confirmation on the statement reportedly made by an Indian politician that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not only planned to expand across the country but also in neighbouring nations like Nepal and Sri Lanka, Co-cabinet spokesman Udaya Gammanpila said today.

Mr Gammanpila told the post cabinet press conference that he had so far no confirmation that Amit Shah, who was then BJP national president, had actually made such a statement.

“What we have so far heard is that the Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb had quoted a statement reportedly made by Jamwal. When we get confirmation that actually such statement has been made, we will make our position clear”, he said.

Journalists raised a couple of question from Gammanpila seeking a response on the government reaction to the statement which has now been widely reportedly in Indian and Sri Lankan media.

The foreign media reports said that while speaking at a BJP event in Agartala, Deb said that Amit Shah, who was then BJP national president talked about ‘overseas’ expansion after winning in all the states in India, news portal East Mojo said.

“We were talking in the state guest house when Ajay Jamwal (North-East Zonal Secretary of BJP) said that BJP has formed its government in several states of India, in reply Shah said, now Sri Lanka and Nepal is left. We have to expand the party in Sri Lanka, Nepal and win there to form a government,” Deb said quoting Amit Shah.

“The BJP will change the trend of change of government between the Left and the Congress every five years in Kerala and emerge as the winner in the southern state as well”, he added.