Ignoring a "maverick" is a safer option as it saves you from a "gatecrasher's bizzare agenda", BJP said on Saturday as it sought to justify Narendra Modi denying an appointment to Arvind Kejriwal.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said silence was dignified as it saves the embarrassment of engaging with a "maverick's bizarre agenda".
Without naming Kejriwal, Jaitley in an article attacked him saying elections are a great occasion for mavericks, who are shrill and is outlandish at times, know every trick to attract attention and publicity and is "colourful" on the electronic media than conventional politicians.
"I have always wondered how to deal with a maverick. Do you answer questions which a maverick puts to you? Do you meet him when he tries to gate crash into your house? Do you allow him to occupy the centre stage by engaging him or do you ignore him and continue with your conventional style of setting the agenda? That I feel is a safer option," he said.
"Silence can be the best response to a maverick. Silence is dignified. It saves you the embarrassment of engaging with a maverick on his bizarre agenda. Narendra Modi therefore was well advised to deny an audience to Arvind Kejriwal,"
-Arun Jaitley
Jaitley said India has its own share of mavericks and many of the free thinkers join parties temporarily and then find themselves a misfit while some have even formed political parties.
"Their style is unconventional. They make arguments in an idiom intended to derive maximum publicity. A maverick has a habit of making allegations without substance. Conventional politicians are reluctant to join issue with them because a maverick is capable of hitting below the belt. He is a wild card," he said.
Arvind Kejriwal had created a drama on Friday by suddenly demanding a meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss the issue of gas price and development in Gujarat but failed to get an appointment.
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