The BJP has more trouble at hand. The eagerness of the saffron party to induct turncoats and disgruntled leaders from other parties once again boomeranged on it after senior leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi openly expressed his opposition to the induction of former JD(U) MP Sabir Ali into the party.
Launching a stringent but uncharacteristic public attack, Naqvi wrote on Twitter: “Terrorist Bhatakal friend join BJP. Soon accepting Dawood.”
Naqvi’s tweet came within hours after Ali joined the BJP in the presence of party general secretaries Dharmendra Pradhan, J P Nadda and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi.
Naqvi opposed to Ali’s induction on the ground that the latter’s alleged links with Indian Mujahideen terrorist Yasin Bhatkal.
“The party has made a mistake. If Muthalik was shunted out of the party for having an image of a hardcore hinduvadi, then how can people having links with terrorists be inducted into the party,” Naqvi told reporters after his controversial tweet. Naqvi said he was not aware if party president Rajnath Singh was aware about Ali’s controversial past.
Another BJP leader from Bihar Rameshwar Chaurasia too expressed his opposition to Ali’s induction.
Former JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP, who was shunted from the party for praising Narendra Modi, had finally joined the BJP on Friday. Ironically, known as a close confidant of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Ali was often seen on TV channels lambasting the BJP, particularly Modi.
Ali is the second JD(U) MP to join the BJP this month. Former JD(U) Rajya Sabha member N K Singh had joined the BJP. The BJP was putting all efforts to induct Muslim faces into the party to bolster its chances for the 2014 elections. Earlier this month, journalist M J Akbar joined the BJP. AAP candidate Shazia Ilimi’s brother Dr Aizaz Ilimi had also joined the party.