Dissent in UP BJP over Kushwaha

Voices of dissent in the state BJP are slowly but surely making themselves heard over tainted former minister Babu Singh Kushwaha being inducted into the party.

The CBI raided his house in Lucknow just a day after he joined the BJP, reportedly after getting the green signal from the party president Nitin Gadkari himself.

There are reports that the RSS has pulled up Gadkari over Kushwaha. However, the BJP chief refused to comment on this.

The BJP is finding it difficult to defend Kushwaha’s induction as the CBI is likely to arrest him soon in the multi-crore NRHM scam in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati had first dropped him as health and family welfare minister last year, and threw him out of the party recently as the CBI uncovered his role in the NRHM scam.

“How can a person be corrupt in the SP, BSP or Congress, and become honest and a ‘sant’ on joining our party. A corrupt person will remain corrupt,” said BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, who commands a formidable following in eastern UP. “This is a mischievous move to spoil the image of the party and affect our prospects in the election. This is totally unacceptable,” he told reporters.

BJP leader Kirti Azad supported the view, saying: “There is a lot of substance in what Yogiji has said. I am sure the party would think over the matter and rectify any mistake that may have been done.”

Former UP minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Singh Gaur has also questioned the move. “It seems that the BJP is yielding to money power and muscle power. This will send out a bad message among the people,” he told reporters in Allahabad adding the party leadership should take urgent steps to remedy this situation.

Another party leader and former minister from Faizabad Anil Tiwari said: “We oppose this move (to induct Kushwaha). The ordinary party worker will feel let down if our leadership takes such decisions, that too during elections. It shows that the party’s discipline is becoming weak.”