BJP veterans meet amid disquiet on Azad suspension

Hitting out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for using “vulgar” language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitley said, “People in positions are expected to act with restraint”.

“I will go to the “margdarshak mandal” and ask them that if a person speaks against corruption does the party crucify such a person and suspend him”, Azad told PTI when asked about his next move. “I am just following prime minister’s policy of “neither will I be corrupt, nor will I let others be”, Azad said.

“As you (Shah) have not mentioned DDCA corruption, I believe that the party had nothing to do with the matter and is purely out of its purview”, the former cricketer said in his letter.

BJP has charged the cricketer-turned-politician with involvement in anti-party activities and accused him of “colluding” with Congress and AAP to bring the party into “disrepute”.

Delhi government-appointed three-member panel had last month published a report with regards to the financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

Over the suspension of party MP Kirti Azad, BJP veterans who were upset met here today and authorized former president L.K. Advani to write to PM Modi to express their anguish.

“Who said I have teamed up?” It said: “Because of anti-party activities, Shri Kirti Azad, Darbhanga MP, is suspended from the party with immediate effect”. I’ve been telling them about the issue from nine years. “Instead of questioning Jaitley, they suspend Azad”. “In the scenario when there are no issues left, the opposition which is resorting to negative propaganda for political reasons”, said he adding that Jaitley was instrumental in all around development of the game in Delhi and outside.

Azad, who has asked the veterans to intervene on his behalf, was expected to meet Joshi, at whose residence the meeting took place. “Avoid kneejerk reaction/coercive action against friend who’s fighting against corruption”, Sinha tweeted. “Kirti Azad suspended by the BJP”.

He is the first BJP MP to be suspended since Narendra Modi became the prime minister in May previous year.

The question is, why did the BJP brass, particularly Modi, expose themselves to such a barrage of criticism by shunting out Azad, when it could easily have dealt with him more subtly?