BJP cracks whip, Kirti Azad suspended

The BJP on Wednesday suspended its Darbhanga MP Kirti Azad, who has been leading a campaign against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on alleged corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), charging him with anti-party activities and accusing him of “colluding” with Congress and AAP to bring it into “disrepute”.

The action of the BJP Parliamentary Board to suspend him from the party’s primary membership with immediate effect came three days after his press conference attacking Jaitley and subsequent acts of defiance both inside and outside Parliament.

A terse announcement suspending him came from the party headquarters but a detailed communication from the Board went to him listing his “anti-party” activities in and outside Parliament, “lowering the prestige’ of the party and its office-bearers.

Reacting to the news of his suspension, Azad said: “Wait and watch for my next move, the fun starts now”. Azad then questioned his suspension and asked the BJP to explain what anti-party activities he was involved in.

“If the BJP suspends me, it’s the party’s misfortune,” Kirti Azad said, adding: “I have worked honestly for the party. I did not say anything against anyone personally... the issue is very old and I have been raising it for the last 9 years.” The decision to suspend Azad was taken by the BJP parliamentary board. Earlier in the day, another BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has also been ‘threatened’ by the party for making statements against it.