BJP veterans to raise DDCA issue

The old guards met at Murli Manohar Joshi’s residence a day after Kirti Azad was suspended by BJP.

“I request you to kindly provide me at the earliest instances and proof that I have indulged in anti-party activities so that I can clear the air and provide you with answers to your satisfaction, confirming that I have neither acted against the party’s constitution nor against the interests of our party”, Azad said in the letter. “I can’t say more”.

Azad is also planning to seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention over his suspension from the party.

In the meeting, the old guard, which had taken on the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah after the BJP suffered a humiliating defeat in the Bihar Assembly polls, felt that the battle between Azad and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was denting the party’s image. Emerging from the meeting, Kumar said, “We keep meeting over tea and nothing specific was discussed”, but interestingly added, “it’s unfortunate that politics has come down to allegations and counter-allegations”.

Party sources said the veterans are of the opinion to raise the issues at an “opportune” time and forum.

Sources close to the veterans said they were also not happy with the party’s response to their concerns. Party insiders feel that the action against Azad is harsh and could have been avoided.

A defiant Azad maintained that his fight was only against alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) and not against any individual and asked for “specific reasons” for the disciplinary action against him by the party. “I believe that the party has nothing to do with this matter and (it) is (totally) out of its purview”, he said. The news of Swamy playing counsel to Azad triggered the query if a BJP proxy against Congress in National Herald case could side with a saffron rebel who has accused a top central minister of corruption.

A veteran was quoted by a news organisation, where he said that the issue related to Azad’s suspension will be considered as the background of the meeting. Senior party leaders, including Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, had met Advani later. We also talk about walking the path of Mahatma Gandhi.