After quitting BJP, Manvendra Singh said it was a "mistake" to join the party
Highlights
- Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh quits BJP
- After quitting, Manvendra Singh said it was a mistake to join the BJP
- Manvendra Singh has not clarified if he will join the Congress
Ahead of state elections in Rajasthan, BJP veteran Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh today quit the party, saying him joining the BJP was a mistake.
"Kamal ki phool hamari bhool thi (choosing the Lotus flower was my mistake), said the lawmaker at his Swabhiman rally in Rajasthan's Barmer, who has been campaigning vigorously in his constituency ever since he announced a rally for "fight for self-respect" of voters.
"There have been many rallies on Gaurav (pride) and Sankalp (determination) but today's rally is the biggest - it is the rally for Swabhiman (self-respect), said Manvendra Singh, adding that "swabhiman is our right and we are committed to it."
Manvendra Singh's ties with the BJP have been strained ever since his father was denied a ticket in the last Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and going back to the issue today he said, he is "running out of patience" and now it's "time for him to speak out."
The miffed sitting lawmaker from Sheo alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him in 2014, after his father Jaswant Singh, was denied a ticket. PM Modi told him "we have old relations and whatever has happened about the Barmer ticket is very sad" claimed Manvendra Singh.
"The Prime Minister said somebody in Jaipur and two people from Delhi are behind this conspiracy," alleged Manvendra Singh. Targeting the BJP central leadership, he said he had talked about all issues with them but nothing has been done. "The wounds are deepening and there is nobody to listen," he said.
Claiming that the issue is "beyond Barmer," he urged his supporters to "keep the spark alive... keep it going... spread it in Rajasthan," said Manvendra Singh, and openly challenging Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje he added "a storm is brewing here and it's headed eastwards...it's a storm that will reach Jaipur."
After announcing his decision to quit BJP, Manvendra Singh, however has not clarified if he will join the Congress. "I will go by what people here say," he said.