Kirti Azad suspended from BJP for publicly targeting Arun Jaitley

“Congress tonight said that the suspension of Kirti Azad from the BJP was nothing but a manifestation of “Corruptionphilia” and its leaders charged with corruption have got impunity from Prime Minister Nerendra Modi”.

But sources privy to the discussions said the BJP quartet felt that Azad’s suspension was wrong in principle as the cricketer-turned-politician had for years been campaigning against financial wrongdoings in the Delhi and District Cricket Association. The Darbhanga MP was suspended on Wednesday for indulging in anti-party activities by accusing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of being involved in the DDCA case.

Azad went against the Party’s diktat of keeping mum on the matter which was already being raised by the AAP government to corner the Centre on issues of corruption and raids on Delhi Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar. The Parliamentarian on Thursday said to media persons that he will call Prime Minister’s Office on Friday as he is seeking an appointment with Modi. “I am not getting into cricket, but let me tell you that whatever he said is all nonsense, all lies and all the bills that he was showing on TV were all fake”, Batra told reporters here.

A defiant Azad maintained that his fight was only against alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association and not against any individual.

The constitution of the Margdarshak Mandal a year ago was seen as a move by the current BJP leadership to sideline the veterans, who have been denied an active role in the party’s affairs.

Azad has drafted a letter seeking specific answers from the BJP president on why he was suspended from the party. When asked if he thinks he was suspended because Jaitley wanted him out, Azad responded in the affirmative.

He also stunned the BJP by speaking on the issue in the Lok Sabha on Monday. “I also want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and I shall be writing to him soon”, Mr Azad said in his letter. In front of the suspension, Jaitley named Azad a “Trojan Horse”.

He asked village heads to raise their voice against cancellation of food park and paper mill projects in Amethi and said Congress wanted all welfare schemes of the Centre and the state to be implemented through gram pradhans.

“Is this what probity and accountability in public life is all about?”