Shatrughan Sinha is expected to contest from Patna Sahib (File)
Shatrughan Sinha, the BJP's in-house critic, has slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah for denying ticket to veteran leader LK Advani for the April-May national election, as he called the move "disgraceful and in poor taste". He said that such a move was expected from an "autocratic rule of one man show and two men army".
Mr Advani, one of the founding members of the BJP and a deputy prime minister in the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was among the 10-odd leaders above the age of 75, whom the party dropped this time.
Gandhinagar, Mr Advani's current Lok Sabha constituency, has been allotted to Mr Shah, who will make his debut into Lok Sabha elections this time.
Mr Advani, 91, is extremely upset about the way the exercise was conducted, sources said. "Not getting to be in Lok Sabha is not the issue, but the manner in which the denial was done was disrespectful... No big leader contacted him," said a source close to Mr Advani.
"Father figure, most revered, learned, friend, philosopher, guide, guru and ultimate leader of the Bhartiya Janta Party, Shri LK Advani has been shown the door/royal exit from the electoral politics without his consent and permission (as he was to be part of the decision makers on the seats)," Mr Sinha tweeted.
Shatrughan Sinha, a BJP lawmaker from Patna Sahib, has been making adverse comments on his party and its leadership over the years, after being sidelined. The party didn't take any disciplinary action all this time. Earlier this month, however, the NDA's candidates list had no mention of Mr Sinha and his seat was given to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
"What you & your people have done with me, is still tolerable. I'm able & capable of answering your people back in the same coin (sic)," Mr Sinha had reacted on the snub.
Mr Sinha has time and again said he would contest the Lok Sabha poll from his seat come what may. Reports suggest he is likely to be fielded as a Congress candidate.