New Delhi: Former Union Minister and BJP MP Jayant Sinha told his party that he was "surprised" to receive a show cause notice asking him why he didn't vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and why he did not take part in election campaigning.
Responding to BJP's Jharkhand general secretary Aditya Sahu's letter on Wednesday, Jayant Sinha said he did vote but through postal ballot, as he was overseas for "personal commitments".
"I was very surprised to receive your letter and discover that you have released it to the media as well," Mr Sinha, who is the sitting MP from the Hazaribagh seat in Jharkhand but was dropped from this election, said in a two-page letter to Mr Sahu.
Responding to Mr Sahu's charge that he has not been taking part in "organisational work and election campaigning" ever since Manish Jaiswal had been declared candidate from the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat, Mr Sinha said he had not been invited to "any party events, rallies or organizational meetings".
"The party announced Manish Jaiswal as its candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. My endorsement was evident when I congratulated Jaiswal ji on March 8, 2024, an event that was well-documented on social media and demonstrated my unwavering support for the party's choice," he said.
"If the party had wanted me to participate in any election activities, you could surely have contacted me. However, not a single senior party official or MP/MLA from Jharkhand reached out to me. I was not invited for any party events, rallies, or organizational meetings."
Jayant Sinha, who in March had announced he would not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, also said he had requested BJP national president JP Nadda to relieve him from his "direct electoral duties".
"I withdrew from the Lok Sabha elections on March 2. After consulting with Nadda ji and getting his explicit approval, I made it clear publicly that I was not going to be involved in these elections. I am happy to support the party on economic and governance policies and have continued to do so," the two-term MP wrote to Mr Sahu.
Mr Sinha also said that on April 30, he had received a call from Mr Jaiswal inviting him to his nomination rally on May 1, but he couldn't attend "due to the late notice".
"I traveled to Hazaribagh on May 2 and went directly to Jaiswal ji's residence to express my regards. He was not present, so I conveyed my message to his family," Mr Sinha said.
Mr Singh, who has been associated with the BJP for over 25 years, said his "development and organizational work in Hazaribagh have been appreciated widely", and that reflected in his "record" victories in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.
"We could have certainly spoken in person or on the phone at any time to address any of your misgivings. As the party official responsible for the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha elections, you could have reached me at any time. To send me a letter after the elections are over is incomprehensible," Mr Sinha said.