Shatru miffed with party leadership over being ‘ignored’

“Can you imagine a person who won with record margin in the last general election from Patna Saheb and who has been BJP’s star campaigner for long is not in the party core committee for election? My name and picture are missing from all party posters and hoardings even in my Lok Sabha constituency and I am either not invited in programmes or called at the eleventh hour,” said Sinha.

He claimed that a section of Bihar BJP leaders were afraid of his popularity and were working against him “and even poisioning the ears of the central leadership against me”. However, he refused to name his detractors.

“Some Bihar BJP leaders are trying to erect a wall between me and the central leadership by indulging in ‘chugli’ (whisper) against me. These people are afraid of my personality and fear I might overshadow them among public, and thus, harm them politically,” he said.

Using a popular Hindi saying, the actor-politician said: “If I draw crowd to party functions through my presence, it ultimately helps party.” He added that he was being ignored now. “I find state party leaders lacking sportsman spirit, which I follow in professional as well as in political life,” he remarked.

“I have time and again made it clear that I am not in the race for chief ministership of Bihar and wish to stay in national politics. But these leaders still work against me,” Sinha said.

Asked if he would meet either PM Narendra Modi or BJP president Amit Shah on going-ons in the party, he said “I would love to meet them and explain the truth if they call me.” He described the Prime Minister as “dashing, dynamic and action hero” and thanked him for attending the wedding of his son at Mumbai recently.

Asked if he was peeved at not being included in the central ministry, Sinha, who was Health Minister in Vajpayee’s government, said “though my supporters and family members raise this question, I tell them it is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to choose his ministers.”