BSP expels Natwar, is BJP next stop?
Its back to political wilderness for the moment for former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh, who was on Tuesday expelled from the BSP, four months after he joined the party.
Its back to political wilderness — for the moment — for former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh, who was on Tuesday expelled from the BSP, four months after he joined the party.
BSP national general secretary Satish Chandra Misra said Singh was expelled for “indulging in anti-party activities” after being “denied” a BSP nomination for the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
Sources, however, said Natwar Singh’s dalliances with the BJP had come to the fore after his legislator-son Jagat Singh joined the Rajasthan BJP on Monday.
Interestingly, the BJP had vociferously demanded Natwar Singh’s resignation as a Congress minister after his controversial role in the Iraqi oil-for-food scam. The father-son duo was dumped by the Congress and Natwar Singh had to quit as a Union minister in December 2005 in the wake of the scam.
Singh could join the BJP after the Rajasthan elections slated for December 4, sources said.
The BJP’s Rajasthan unit roped in Natwar Singh’s son Jagat after Jat leader and former BJP MP Vishvendra Singh switched loyalties to the Congress last Friday.
Natwar Singh, apart from Vishvendra Singh, are two stalwarts of Rajasthan’s Jatt community, which constitutes about 22 per cent of the state’s population, and whose vote is crucial.