NCP takes dig at BJP over dragon fruit renaming bid

MUMBAI: The NCP on Wednesday targeted the BJP over the Gujarat government's decision to rename dragon fruit as 'Kamalam', saying the time may not be far when the saffron party would start calling the country as "Kamalastan". The BJP has now started "branding itself on fruits also," NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said in a statement. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday said his government has decided to rename dragon fruit as 'Kamalam'. Reacting to it, Tapase said, "The BJP has now started branding itself on fruits also. We fear that the time may be not far when they would start addressing Hindustan as Kamalastan." The BJP's election symbol is lotus, which is called 'kamal' in Hindi.