I feel like resigning, says LK Advani

BJP stalwart L K Advani was on Thursday so upset and disappointed at the disarray in the Lok Sabha that he came close to quitting as Member of Parliament (MP).

At least that’s what he said when a Trinamool MP actually asked the visibly irate 89-year-old BJP leader if his health was okay.

“I just feel like quitting... right now,” the senior BJP leader fumed when Trinamool MP Idris Ali expressed concern about his health.

“For once, for one day at least, run the House properly. Whether anyone wins or loses the real loser in this whole mess is Parliament itself,” the senior BJP leader was saying.

On Thursday, yet again and for the umpteenth time since November 16 when the Winter Session began, the Lok Sabha was adjourned after there was an uproar over the government’s decision to scrap high-value currency notes.

On Thursday, Advani was heard telling Home Minister Rajnath Singh that leaders from all parties, including the Congress, should talk to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to resolve the logjam so that at least tomorrow (Friday) — the last day of the Session — proceedings could go smoothly. 

It would be “shameful for Parliament” if the House were adjourned tomorrow (Friday) also without any discussion, Advani was heard saying.

When TMC’s Ali reportedly told Advani that it was Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who wasn’t being allowed to speak, Advani is said to have retorted: “Don’t take any person’s name. The issue is that Parliament should discuss the matter,” reported stated. 

“Had Atalji been in the Parliament today, he would have been upset”, Advani said about the much-revered BJP leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.