Trouble seems to be hounding the BJP these days. After the “insult” of being denied ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election, veteran leader Jaswant Singh on Monday filed his nomination as an independent candidate and hit out at party president Rajnath Singh for betraying him and took a jibe at those chanting ‘NaMo NaMo’, saying it reminded him of the Emergency.
As the controversy over seat election raged within the BJP, two more former MPs and Subash Maharia threatened to contest against official candidates as independents. Protests were also held outside Rajnath’s house in Delhi by supporters of a UP-based leader for denial of ticket.
A visibly upset former finance and defence minister, after filing his nomination from the Barmer seat said, “I feel very sad on being betrayed by a few people in the BJP. I suggested Vasundhara Raje for Chief Minister, Rajnath Singh for BJP president. They have betrayed me.”
Jaswant left the decision on his continuation in the BJP to the party, saying it can sack him if it wants. After Jaswant’s nomination, the BJP will be forced to take action against him, possibly expelling him if he doesn’t withdraw his papers against the BJP’s official candidate.
Referring to the new personality worship phenomenon in the party, the 76-year-old said ‘NaMo’ will ruin the party. “This NaMo, NaMo drama and the style of decision-making will be destructive for the party and reminds me of 1975. There is more arrogance and less of taking everyone along,” he said referring to everyone in the party chanting prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s name.
Jaswant also regretted re-joining the party after his expulsion in 2009 over his book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah. “I was unceremoniously ousted from the party. Gadkari and Advani asked me to rejoin but my family was not keen. Not even a peon is treated the way as I was,” he said.