New Delhi: Speculation is rife that rebel BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, who has been critical of the party’s central leadership, could contest from his constituency, Patna Sahib, on a Congress ticket.
Sinha had made it clear in the past that he will not give up his seat under any circumstances and could even consider contesting at an Independent to retain it.
Speculation about the Congress fielding him from the seat gained currency after it became clear that the BJP will replace him with Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Prasad’s name as the Lok Sabha candidate was discussed at the BJP’s central election committee last week, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying. Reportedly, Rajya Sabha MP R.K. Sinha’s name had also been considered for the Patna Sahib seat at the meeting.
According to Times Now, Sinha had offers from both the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. But, according to sources, he is reportedly considering to contest on a Congress ticket.
Sinha, who has created more enemies than friends in his party through his diatribes against Narendra Modi, continues to be in the BJP, although the saffron camp has been treating him as a ‘persona non grata’.
In a recent tweet, Sinha had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make way for “better and newer leadership.” He has said, “Don’t you think it’s high time & the right time, before the Govt changes, that a new, better leadership takes over. And you should come out with all your black, white & grey sides?”
The BJP is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar in alliance with the Nitish Kumar’s JDU and NDA ally LJP. The Congress, on the other hand, has stitched an alliance with the RJD.
Meanwhile, suspense continues on whether BJP chief L.K. Advani will contest the Lok Sabha polls. Advani has successfully contested from Gandhinagar for six times in a row but has remained silent on contesting a seventh time from the same seat.
Asked whether Advani (91) was keen on contesting the polls, his personal secretary Deepak Chopra told PTI “It is not yet decided. He will decide when something (offer) comes”.
The BJP has already lifted an age bar on contesting polls.
