Minutes into his joining the BJP, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Agrawal on Monday created a controversy with his comments belittling actor-politician Jaya Bachchan as someone "who used to dance in films". Senior BJP leader and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took strong exception to it and termed the remarks "unacceptable".
Agrawal, who lost out to Bachchan in the race for re-nomination to the Upper House, quit the Samajwadi Party and joined the BJP.
"I have been reduced to somebody working in films. For somebody who used to dance in films, act in films, I was denied a ticket (for Rajya Sabha). I did not find it appropriate," Agrawal said while joining the BJP at its headquarters.
He was flanked by several BJP leaders, including Union Minister
Piyush Goyal, who welcomed him into the party.
While BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra distanced his party from Agrawal's remarks, saying it respects people from all fields and welcomed them in politics, Swaraj took to Twitter to criticise Agrawal's comments.
"Naresh Agrawal has joined Bhartiya Janata Party. He is welcome. However, his comments regarding Jaya Bachhan ji are improper and unacceptable," she tweeted.
Agrawal, who was in the Congress earlier, is not new to controversy. Last year, the BJP was up in arms over his remarks in the Upper House mocking Hindu gods. He has even mocked the PM's caste and his tea-seller credentials.
His term as Rajya Sabha member ends on April 2.