Shekhawat speaks up against Jaswant ouster

Expressing concern over the state of affairs in the BJP,former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on Thursday said the “process of bikhraw (fragmentation) in the party,so much in evidence in recent days,must not be allowed to grow”.

Shekhawat,a former BJP member,cited the recent controversies on Vasundhara Raje and Jaswant Singh to drive home his point. “The manner in which Jaswant Singh was shown the door by the party was not proper. On the other hand,while Vasundhara has been asked by the party brass to resign as BJP Legislature Party chief in Rajasthan,the party is now being tested in the matter (by her refusal to abide by the order so far),” Shekhawat said.

“How could he have been expelled without being given an opportunity to explain himself,or without reading the book,” he said. “I’ve just started reading his book. More than his expulsion,it was the process of his expulsion that surprised me. There are leaders (in the party) whose sympathies are with Jaswant,but they are quiet for now. Jaswantji’s contribution to the party is immense.”

On Vasundhara,he said: “No matter how big a leader is,s/he cannot flout party discipline.”