BJP hardens stand against Shatrughan Sinha over LS ticket row

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi, Jan 27: The BJP on Tuesday categorically rejected actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha’s threat to quit party if denied ticket to contest Lok Sabha elections from the reputed Patna Saheb seat in Bihar.

Responding to Sinha’s demand, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the actor cannot get a ticket by resorting to pressure building tactics.

Naqvi further said that he will not be given any ticket to contest Lok Sabha polls if he continues to build pressure on the party.

Sinha, a faithful leader of the BJP, was recently in news after it was reported that Mulayam Singh’s SP was trying to woo the actor-turned-politician after announcing Sanjay Dutt as its candidate from the prestigious Lucknow seat.

When quizzed, SP general secretary Amar Singh refused to divulge more details and concluded by saying that the party leadership had only ‘informal’ discussion with Sinha.

"I am in contact with him on a regular basis. However, our discussions have been informal. It does not come under the definition of a political discussion...But possibilities cannot be ruled out," said Singh.

The saffron brigade seems to be in confusion over the prestigious Patna Saheb seat owing to a tussle between Sinha and party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad, also a former Union Minister and a strong contender for the constituency.

Sinha also fuelled speculations by claiming that he had the blessings of prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishan Advani and BJP president Rajnath Singh to contest from Patna Saheb, since Patna is his hometown.

Although both Sinha and Prasad are Kayastha leaders from Patna, the actor certainly has a much larger support base than the latter.

According to party insiders Prasad is more suited for the Upper House and the party cannot take risk by putting him up for the prestigious Patna Saheb seat.

The old Patna Parliamentary constituency is already in the hands of the RJD.

Source : zeenews.com