No question of returning to BJP: Jaswant

No signs of any thaw in the freeze between BJP and the man it expelled earlier this month, Jaswant Singh.

Singh has categorically refused to resign as the Chairman  of the Political Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament. The request was made to Singh by Sushma Swaraj on Monday in a meeting at his house. The BJP claims that this prestigious position belongs to the opposition party. Since Singh is now an independent MP, it wants him to surrender the position. Singh says only the Speaker of the Lok Sabha can ask him to resign.

"The decision is that of Speaker, not of political party," he said.

Technically, he's correct. The Speaker alone has the right to remove him, and for that, it would have to be proved that Singh had failed to perform his duties as chairman of the PAC.

As for whether there's any chance of a reconciliation with the party he served for 30 years, Singh says, "That door is closed.  There is no intention of going back". 

Singh was expelled by the BJP for his controversial book in which he praises Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The book has been banned in Gujarat by Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

"I don't know whether Gujarat government read the book. I would have liked senior most leader of party Lal Krishna Advani and party president Rajnath Singh discussed the book," said Jaswant.

"The ban amounts to curbing my Freedom of Expression," he added.

Singh has appealed against the ban in the Supreme Court. The Gujarat government has been asked to explain its stand on the September 8.