As BJP veterans went into a huddle on Thursday and understood to have discussed the suspension of BJP MP Kirti Azad, the latter asked the party to define his ‘anti-party activities’ and the alleged instances of him ‘colluding’ with the Congress and AAP .
In Ahmedabad, Azad told media persons that he will seek an appointment with the Prime Minister, who will return from Moscow on Friday.
Azad is also expected to meet former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi at his residence here to discuss disciplinary action against him by the party president Amit Shah. Sources said the ‘margdarshak mandal’ could take up his issue within the party forum.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy appeared to question the party’s decision to suspend Azad, asking whether cricket fell within the purview of party discipline. “Kirti issues are: 1. Cricket affair within the purview of party discipline; 2 Due to SC case on BCCI, is party decision amenable in court,” Swamy tweeted.
Swamy is providing assistance to the former cricketer and Darbhanga MP from Bihar to work out “an amicable resolution” of the issue between him and the party.
Talking to The Pioneer, Azad said that he would like to know what constitute the ‘anti-party activities’ in his case and that the party should be quoting specific instances of him acting at the behest of Opposition parties. The MP said he would be consulting Swamy before responding to the party on his suspension.
In the backdrop of Azad, who has been baiting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on the alleged corruption in the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) and the subsequent party action against him, BJP veterans lK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Shanta Kumar and Yashwant Sinha, who have been vocal against party leadership, on Thursday morning went into a huddle over developments.
Azad has sought intervention of the ‘margdarshak mandal’, comprising Advani, Joshi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, which was formed by BJP president after he took over the party reins. The Mandal ,seen as a forum ‘to park and retire’ key BJP veterans past-75 years, has, so far, not had its single meeting.
According to sources, Advani drove down to Joshi’s residence and Shanta Kumar and Sinha joined them at noon for a meeting that lasted about an hour. The four leaders had shot off a scathing letter to the party president soon after the Bihar poll debacle and charged that the party has been “emasculated” in last one year.
Within hours of Parliament’s adjournment sine die, the BJP cracked the whip on Wednesday and suspended Azad, who has been leading a campaign against Finance Minister on alleged corruption in DDCA. Prior to his, Jaitley has given sufficient indications that the party should now be taking cognizance of BJP MP’s activities .
Azad on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and indicated he may seek a court-monitored probe against the Delhi cricket body. Azad maintained that his fight was only against alleged corruption in the DDCA and not against any individual.
“BJP and RSS always speak about uprooting corruption. We also talk about walking the path of Mahatma Gandhi. Thus, I wish that Narendra Modiji intervenes in this issue, goes deeper in it, and then tells me about what I have done wrong, as I need specific answers,” the BJP MP told newspersons at Ahmedabad before flying to Delhi. Answering a question, the BJP MP said on Friday that he would seek an appointment with Prime Minister.
Azad alleged that CBI is indirectly helping DDCA by alerting the cricketing body through notices, resulting in “disappearance” of files. “I request CBI not to issue notices (to DDCA), as files eventually disappear after such notices. If tomorrow I will go to court and demand a court-monitored inquiry in this case, then you will be in trouble,” said the BJP MP. Azad also said that he will file a PIl in his individual capacity over the DDCA issue soon.
Asked whether the BJP would officially respond to any reaction on the issue from the party veterans, BJP national secretary Srikant Sharma said, “They are our seniors. It is under them that we have reached here. The party has always welcomed their suggestions. Due to their blessings and their work that the party has reached here.”