Defiant Jaswant digs heels in: Won't withdraw Barmer nomination

Rebel BJP leader Jaswant Singh today ruled out his withdrawal from the Lok Sabha poll fray amid speculation that senior party leaders were in touch with him on this issue.

“No senior leader of BJP has contacted me on this issue (withdrawal of nomination). I am not going to withdraw,” Singh, who is contesting as an Independent from Barmer, told PTI.

After the BJP refused to grant a ticket to the former External Affairs Minister, who wanted to contest from his home state for the last time, Singh filed his nomination as an independent from Barmer.

BJP has fielded former Congress leader Sonaram Chaudhary from the seat.

However, there was speculation that BJP was in touch with him to convince him to withdraw from the race.

Today is the last date for withdrawal of nomination in the constituency which is going to polls on 17 April.

PTI