File picture of Shatrughan Sinha.
Shatrughan Sinha, who has been courting trouble with persistent regularity with his party, has today delivered new criticism of the BJP. Mr Sinha, a former actor who represents Patna in Parliament, has opposed the suspension of 25 Congress Lok Saba members, who have been banned for five days from proceedings on account of raucous protests.Mr Sinha told NDTV that he respects the Speaker's decision, but that he felt it important to "raise the circumstances" in which the Congress members were suspended. The action has been billed "the murder of democracy" in an uncharacteristically dramatic statement by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
"Please note that your political rivals are not your enemies," Mr Sinha opined offline while explaining new tweets that deliver the latest installment of his bromance with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.Their recent meetings and praise for each other - publicly and enthusiastically disclosed - have been irritants for the BJP at a time when it hopes to deprive Mr Kumar of a third consecutive term in office in the election which starts in September. Mr Sinha said political differences must've distinguished from personal ones. After all, he said, somewhat aggressively, "Our dashing dynamic Prime minister attended (Congress leader) Digvijaya Singh's son's wedding".
The comparison is unlikely to placate his party. Last week, Mr Sinha deviated from the BJP to join a group of politicians and eminent citizens who petitioned President Pranab Mukherjeee against the hanging of terrorist Yakub Memon.
In a brave attempt at spin doctoring Mr Sinha's continuing rebellion, BJP leader Kailash Vijayavargiya, said, "This is his personal opinion and it shows BJP is a democratic party."