BJP MLC Tunna Pandey calls Nitish ‘chief minister of circumstances’, suspended
Simmering discontent within the NDA surfaced on Friday when BJP suspended one of its MLC Tunna Pandey for making statements against chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Mr Pandey had recently stoked a controversy by calling Mr Kumar a “chief minister of circumstances” and also threatened to expose him for “having a connection with liquor mafia since 2009”.
BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal on Friday issued his suspension letter in which he said that “a show-cause notice was served to you by the party’s disciplinary committee for making comments against the party line. Instead of furnishing a valid explanation, you made another statement. You are being suspended with immediate effect”.
Taking a strong objection to his controversial statements against Bihar CM, the BJP disciplinary committee chief Vijay Singh had served Mr. Pandey a notice Thursday, seeking an explanation within 10 days. Sources said that action was initiated after NDA allies JD(U) and HAM raised the issue with BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal.
Later, when he was approached for his comments regarding the issue, Mr Pandey said that “I will give explanations regarding my statements to my party leaders soon”.
He has been targeting Nitish ever since the NDA formed the government in Bihar. Recently, he created a flutter in state politics by saying that “the mandate in 2020 elections was in favour of Tejashwi Yadav but Nitish became the chief minister by misusing official machinery”.
He also refused to withdraw his statements, saying that he was not afraid of speaking the truth. “I will expose Nitish Kumar’s alliance with liquor mafias in Bihar. My party is BJP but I am also a public representative so nobody can stop me from speaking the truth”.
Reports suggest after he was served notice, Mr Pandey had met Osama Shahab, son of former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin. There is also a buzz that he is in touch with RJD leadership and may join the party soon.