My son can go anywhere he wants: BC Khanduri on his son joining Congress

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP leader BC Khanduri downplayed his son Manish joining Congress and asserted that his son is free to take his own decisions.

"My son is an educated guy and is a young man and would do what he desires. I fail to understand why questions are being raised. It is not a family business that he should follow me. If he was a party worker and would have shifted loyalty that was a different matter but he is an engineering graduate and has lived in the US and is doing as he wishes. It is not necessary that he will be where I am," Khanduri told ANI said.

His son, Manish, joined the Congress party on Saturday in the presence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

The former chief minister also affirmed his decision not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and said, "I had long back announced that I will not fight elections. I feel that young people should get an opportunity. I have already been in politics for about 30 years now."

Upon being asked as to whether he would campaign for his son or not, Khanduri said: "I will fulfil my responsibilities as a party worker and as a father. My maternal uncle was a Congress leader, I still came into BJP. This is all about time and coincidence.