Rebel BJP parliamentarian Shatrughan Sinha will reveal his political and electoral course on October 2 but one thing is confirmed that he would contest from his seat Patna Saheb, which he won twice subsequently with record margin.
Shotgun, who loves to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some other top BJP leaders, hit the PM on Rafale controversy and said he should reply to the questions being asked by the opposition instead of coming up with counter questions or digging old cases.
“Rafale is great, great grandfather of Bofors which was once made an election issue. The controversy has created strong suspicion among the countrymen. Calling them anti-national, who ask questions, is unfair. There should not be compromise with the country’s defence and security. But the stand of our Government has caused a big question mark and particularly after Hollande’s remarks the Government is in deep trouble and it has no answers, said Sinha who has been in parliament for 22 year and served as Union Minister under Vajpayee looking after health and shipping.
Saying that he was not a servant of Modi but a loyal soldier of BJP, Sinha told The Pioneer, “I am with the truth. I call a spade a spade. Sach kehna agar bagawat hai to samjho hum bhi baghi hain (If speaking truth is rebellion I am a rebel). I am with the BJP but I am also answerable to the people of the country and that of Patna and that of my constituency.
Sinha also took a dig at the NDA Government for refusing probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee in Rafale. It would not be fair for the Government to decide which agency should probe it because in this case the Government is an accused and selection of agency by it would only create more suspicion. “Why we are scared of inquiry by the JPC despite the fact that NDA has majority in this panel. But it is scared that when JPC will take up probe that matter will go far and deep,” he claimed.
Asked about the strong speculations that he would be denied ticket for 2019 election by the BJP, he feigned ignorance. He said, “I have not been told by anybody so far. But if they have such plan they should also consider which of the MPs, of any party, won with record margin in 2014.” He added, “The question is not that they will not give me ticket. The moot question is whether I will accept their ticket or not.”