BJP’s ‘Shatru’ not to quit party

BJP’s “Shatru” is not going to quit the party which, he said he nurtured for nearly three decades and played a key role in making it a party of 2 MPs to the largest party. On Patna Sahib MP Shatrughan Sinha, Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi had tweeted that “BJP’s ‘Shatru’ should quit the party instead of waiting for expulsion” and that “he should follow his mentor (Yashwant Sinha)” who announced last fortnight that he was severing all ties with the BJP.

So what is the plan of film actor-turned-politician for 2019 amid the strong speculations that the BJP was not going to give him ticket? He will not say anything but give enough indication that he would contest to retain his seat, come what may. “I am relaxed. I have the best options,” he said without clarifying but added that most of the parties in the country had approached him and that he has option beyond BJP.

The highest probability is that he may join Congress and contest as its nominee in alliance with the RJD and some other regional parties. Shotgun made it a point in recent past to praise anybody who is bitter critic of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi like Lalu Prasad, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and almost all the leaders of Congress.

But the question is why the BJP has not dared to oust him in spite of severe criticism of the party and its top leadership calling it one man show (Modi) and two men army (Modi and Amit Shah). “Are you looking for a ‘muhurat’ to expel him. I am here to stay and I am not going to go anywhere,” he dared the leadership.

Sinha is not quitting because he does not want to lose his Lok Sabha membership which he would after resigning on his own under the anti-defection law and if he is expelled he would continue to be an MP. The remaining term of his membership is still one year. The party sources said that expulsion would mean to make him a martyr and earn public support.

However, the biggest challenge before the BJP is that he may emerge a biggest leader of rival camps and their star campaigner. Sinha said, “Whenever they (BJP leadership) want to take action they can do so but they must remember Newton’s third law that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” His supporters point out that despite many setbacks and being cornered in the party, Shatru was still the tallest leader enjoying massive support not only in his own constituency but elsewhere too. There is no denying that once he was the most sought after star campaigner and even requisitioned by BJP’s top leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee until he last contested from Lucknow.

Despite remaining in the BJP for a long time Shatru also called Bihari Babu maintained highly cordial relations with the top leaders of all the parties. It is speculated that he will play the role of guardian of Lalu’s son Tej Pratap Yadav when he will be married on May 12 in absence of RJD supremo. Recently when he called on Lalu in Ranchi hospital, the RJD chief asked him to be there and play the role of groom’s guardian. “I attended marriages of all the daughters of Lalu ji and I will be there at his son’s wedding too,” he told PNS.