Shatrughan Sinha slams PM Modi, govt policies from BJP platform in Bihar

Disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha declares that he will contest Lok Sabha polls from Patna Sahib again, but stops short of mentioning any change in political allegiance.

BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies at a party event held in Sukulpur on Tuesday.

BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has, however, backed the BJP’s decision to ditch the Mehbooba Mufti government in J&K. (PTI File)

While this is not the first time the disgruntled actor-turned-politician has targeted the party leadership, he never did it from a BJP platform before. Sinha also announced his intention to contest again from the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2019, but did not specify the party he would represent.

“The BJP did not give me tickets; I took it on my own. And I will contest from Patna Sahib again,” he told party workers at the meet. Sinha, who has been cozying up with opposition parties such as the RJD and Congress, is yet to disclose which one he will possibly team up with in 2019. He has even praised opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, calling him a “very mature leader”.

Yadav reciprocated the gesture at a recent iftar party. “Chacha (Shatrughan Sinha) is with us,” he said, giving rise to speculations that Sinha may be the RJD candidate for the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2019.

Speaking at the Sukulpur event, Sinha slammed the Modi government for causing the public “great hardships” through demonetisation and GST. He said the two initiatives proved to be “neem ke upar karela (bittergourd over neem)” for the people, rendering many of its young population jobless.

Sources said many BJP leaders quietly slipped out of the venue after sensing the MP’s rebellious tone.

The two-time Lok Sabha MP has openly criticised the Modi government on several occasions, and even told off the BJP for making light of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s prime ministerial ambitions. “By the way, the president of the oldest party has really matured in the last few years. He has been raising some pertinent questions that we are refusing to answer or even entertain,” he said. He even took on the party leadership over the recent bypoll results, warning them against continuing on their path of “arrogance, short temper and overconfidence”.

However, Sinha backed the BJP’s decision to ditch the Mehbooba Mufti government in Jammu and Kashmir. “India’s security is above all – above religion, above politics, above everything else. Withdrawal of support to the ruling party in Kashmir... too little, too late… but nonetheless, this decision certainly seems to be in favour of the people of Kashmir,” he tweeted on Wednesday.