Jaswant back in BJP?

Faced with a leadership crisis, saffron party members make concerted effort to bring the old soldier, among others, back into the fold

The leadership crisis in the BJP is reportedly making the party consider bringing expelled party leaders, including Jaswant Singh, back into the fold.

Singh was expelled in August 2009 following the pro-Mohammed Ali Jinnah sentiments expressed in his book Jinnah India, Partition, Independence.

Senior BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told MiD DAY that he continues to have great respect for Singh. "He is a very senior leader. He has always been a true follower of the BJP ideology.



However, his induction is a matter that directly concerns the party and it is something only the party can decide," Naqvi said.

National head of BJP think-tank Amitabh Sinha said, "There is a serious and conscious effort to bring back all leaders, including Jaswant Singh, who left the party for one reason or the other."

A senior BJP leader from Rajasthan said the need for inducting Jaswant Singh had become particularly pressing following the death of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

"Bhairon Singh Jee and Jaswant Singh have always been tall leaders in the state. After the death of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, there is no one to lead us.

We need Jaswant Singh to lead us, since we don't have faith in Vasundhara Raje. We have also asked the party high command to welcome him into the party to boost the party's morale in Rajasthan."

'Missing my party'

Jaswant Singh had in a recent interview to a TV news channel said that the BJP was in his blood. "I am missing my party very much, and I have never parted ways with the party ideology," Singh had said.