BJP action against Arun Shourie likely today

Terming the remarks of its leader Arun Shourie as "unfortunate", Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources indicated in New Delhi this morning that action against him is likely to be taken later in the day.

Terming the remarks of its leader Arun Shourie as "unfortunate", Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources indicated on Tuesday morning in New Delhi that action against him is likely to be taken later in the day.

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"Action against him (Shourie) is likely to be taken today (Tuesday). It may be on the same lines as the action against Jaswant Singh," a senior party leader told IANS.

The schism within the leadership of the largest right wing party of the country came out in the open after Shourie, the BJP MP, described the party as a "kati patang" (adrift kite). Shourie also urged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent ideologue organisation, to take more control of the BJP.

"The way he (Shourie) went out in public about the party's internal issues is unfortunate," Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP vice president.

"If somebody has grievances, there are enough forums within party for their redressal. Talking about party leadership in public is indiscipline and party will take note of it," Naqvi said.

Reacting to the episode, BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Monday said: "His nomination to Rajya Sabha was coming to an end. I am sure he wants action against himself. He wants to become a martyr.

Shourie, however, told IANS: "This is what great leaders like Rudy can think and all this is rubbish."

The BJP has been in a crisis for the past few days since its senior leader and Lok Sabha MP Jaswant Singh was sacked from the party over a book written by him which said Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had been over-demonised in India.

Shourie, already sidelined in the BJP, compared BJP President Rajnath Singh to "Humpty Dumpty" in an interview telecasted on Monday. Commenting on the Jaswant Singh episode, Shourie asserted -- without naming anyone -- that there were certain people in the party who had brought about this situation, and "these are the people who are hurting the party's interest".