Dogged by infighting, the BJP has put its credible faces — Yashwant Sinha and Ravi Shankar Prasad — to bring the focus back on more serious issues such as the state of economy.
ControversiesBut putting a lid on unseemly controversies is clearly not going to be easy with veteran Jaswant Singh once again accusing the BJP of “perverting values” for promoting “individuals.”
Simultaneously, the Bihar legislator, Sabir Ali, who was invited to join the party and sacked with hours after party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi accused him of being a terrorist, threatened to sue Naqvi. Sabir Ali, accompanied by his wife Yasmin, said Naqvi has made a serious allegation by calling him an “associate of Yasin Bhatkal.” “If he does not apologise within 48 hours, I will take legal action,” he said.
A day after BJP President Rajnath Singh expelled him for contesting against the party’s official candidate in Barmer, Rajasthan, Jaswant Singh said this election exemplifies how the BJP is justifying promotion of an individual by blatantly disguising facts.
“…This electoral contest is not simply between individuals, it is not just a clash of egos or even a pursuit of self-interest or personalised vendettas. What is at stake are some vital principles of conduct in public life; very important values which we must endeavour to imbibe,” said Jaswant Singh.
“ This election in Barmer, Rajasthan, very sadly exemplifies how these values are being perverted, indeed almost destroyed under the false pretence of “party discipline,” commitment to individuals rather than issues and principles, depressingly blatant disguising of facts and total confusion between values, norms and unacceptable short cuts,” he added.
Singh pointed out that in fielding a “Congress defector” Colonel Sonaram from Barmer, the BJP has cited “reasons of caste.” Colonel Sonaram belongs to the Jat community and the BJP leaders have openly said his caste affiliation is an important factor in denying Jaswant Singh the party ticket.