Shatrughan Sinha said he feels sad as far as the BJP is concerned.
As the Congress on Monday tackled a fiery meeting of its top decision-making body that saw Sonia Gandhi announcing her decision to resign as chief after a controversial letter written by over 20 leaders, Shatrughan Sinha delivered cautious criticism of the party he joined last year.
"I have not even completed two years in the Congress but from what I see, there is only one complaint – a platform where one can voice one's concern is often not visible," Shatrughan Sinha, 74, told NDTV as the Congress Working Committee held an online meet to discuss the letter.
Mr Sinha quit the BJP just before the national election last year after a rapid souring of his ties with his party of three decades over his sharp public criticism of the leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was asked whether he regretted joining the Congress, which was now struggling with a leadership crisis.
"I feel sad as far as the BJP is concerned. I call it my first political family. Why were the leaders who built the party (Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi) sidelined? As I said it was a one man show, two-man army. In the Congress, sometimes one feels that people do not get a platform to express one's opinion," said Mr Sinha.
But he added that this was the case with most parties today. The BJP, he said, would also call national executive meetings that would "get over in half a day", forcing him to go to the media "in national interest and public interest".
He also responded to the view that from a "one-man party", he had come to a "one-family party". That description fits most parties today, he said.
"I do believe that when we have leaders like Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi – you may call him pappu or whatever you like but he what he has achieved, you cannot deny - the party will find a way. I hope and pray that this evening they will come up with the most fruitful results," Mr Sinha said.