BJP may consider action against Shatrughan Sinha only after Gujarat Assembly election

The BJP may consider taking any action against rebel party MP from Patna Sahib in Bihar, Shatrughan Sinha, only after December 18, the day results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly election would be declared.

The BJP has chosen to ignore yet again the first of its kind no-holds-barred attack by Sinha on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 23.

BJP's Disciplinary Committee chief Ganeshi Lal told India Today that senior party leaders are busy in Gujarat elections. "The matter may come up for consideration only after the Gujarat Assembly election results are declared on December 18," he said.

LONG ROPE

Sources in the BJP said the party will first wait for a formal complaint from party's Bihar president Nityanand Rai. This would be taken up by the disciplinary committee which, in turn, would submit its recommendation to party president Amit Shah.

Sinha launched a frontal attack on Modi besides Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani. However, he did not name any of them.

While taking part in a book launch of Ali Anwar, the suspended Rajya Sabha MP of JD(U), Sinha made the 'chaiwala' jibe against the prime minister.

In the presence of rebel JD(U) MP Sharad Yadav and senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury in the capital's Constitution Club, Sinha said if a lawyer can speak on financial matters, a TV actress can become HRD minister and a 'chaiwala', by selling tea, can achieve the greatest heights, an actor like him can surely speak on demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Sinha also mocked Modi's monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat' and said since it PM had a copyright over it, he would call his speech 'Dil ki Baat'.

According to the sources, the BJP has taken cognisance of all the actions and words of the actor-turned-politician in the recent past. However, it is still hopeful that will mend his ways and stop attacking the senior party leaders.

"It takes a lot of effort to prepare a leader. But it does not take even a second to remove the person from the party. Whether or not the leader suffers, the party certainly loses," the sources said, adding, "we will wait and watch".

MODI AND SINHA

Sinha has been a Modi-baiter much before the latter became the BJP's prime ministerial candidate on September 13, 2013. A month before that, Sinha had supported senior party leader LK Advani for the PM's post.

Sinha did not stop at attempts to undermine Modi even after the latter had become the BJP's PM face. He quipped if popularity was the criterion, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was the most suitable candidate for the top job. He went to the extent of endorsing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's name, saying he is a "PM material".

After Modi became the prime minister, the actor-politician sought to embarrass him by praising and hobnobbing with leaders of BJP's rival parties such as RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Kumar [when his JD(U) was part of the previous Mahagathbandhan government in the state]. After the BJP suffered defeat in Bihar, which Modi had made a prestige battle, Sinha congratulated both Prasad and Kumar for defeating his own party.

Recently, he came in support of former Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha who launched a scathing attack on Modi's flagship economic steps - demonetisation and GST. He said the former finance minister was a true statesman and that his comments were in the interest of both the party and the nation.

Sinha even requested Modi to appear before the press and answer real questions.

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