Jaswant deprecates veneration of individual by BJP

Singh said he was deeply “wounded” by decision of BJP to not let him contest from Barmer despite his plea that he wanted to serve his motherland in what could be his last term in the Lok Sabha.

The new avatar of BJP in which senior leaders are being sidelined is making the party “destructably (sic) aggressive” instead of getting progressive, Singh said here today.

The nine-time MP, who was one of the founding office bearers of the party, has decided to contest as an independent against BJP candidate Col Sonaram from here who switched over from Congress barely three days before getting a ticket.  

Announcing his suspension yesterday, the party had said, “As per section 25(9) of the party's constitution, any leader contesting against the party's official candidate is liable for immediate expulsion.

“Accordingly, as per BJP president's directions, Jaswant Singh, MP... has been expelled from the party for six years with immediate effect.”