Day after suspension, Kirti Azad seeks ‘justice’ from PM Narendra Modiمودی
“It’s BJP’s loss, not mine…”
Cricketer-turned lawmaker of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Kirti Azad was yesterday suspended by the party for publicly targeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley with allegations of corruption in Delhi’s cricket body DDCA. “I will also ask margdarshak mandal to come forward and look into the issue”, Azad told reporters here.
He also dismissed claims suggesting his collusion with Congress and Aam Aadmi Party over the DDCA row.
According to reports, the ideological mentor of the ruling Party has reportedly not endorsed the move to suspend Azad. Azad got help from this unlikely quarter on Thursday when the incorrigible Swamy told him that he will help him in drafting his reply to the suspension notice.
CSI called on former Olympians and other sportspersons to support Azad in his “fight against corruption in sports”. “I reiterate that I remain a loyal worker of BJP and have no intention of causing embarrassment to my party or to indulge in any anti-party activity”, Azad said in his letter to Shah. Swamy has filed the Herald case accusing Sonia Gandhi and Rahul of financial irregularities, leading to allegations from Congress that it was orchestrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaitley.
Unlike their last meeting on November 10 when they had issued a scathing statement against the party leadership, there was no immediate public comment this time round with sources close to them saying that they will raise their issues at an “opportune” time and forum. “They are a new party”.
The drama over Kirti Azad’s suspension has snowballed into an internal tug-of-war for the BJP. “I did not take anyone’s name”. Azad took his battle with the high profile minister to another level when he took him on in Lok Sabha when the Opposition was demanding Jaitley’s resignation. He had signed off by reminding the House, “and we know who was heading the DDCA between 2008 and 2013”, a reference to Jaitley.
Azad on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervene into the matter. And disregarding a reported request from BJP president Amit Shah, Azad held a press conference to expose the alleged wrongdoings in the DDCA on Sunday.
Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani had declined to contest elections when he was accused of involvement in the hawala scandal in the 1990s. “He will come out with flying colours”, Modi said.