SP’s Naresh Agrawal joins BJP, creates furore with remarks on Jaya Bachchan

In a shock to the Opposition and a big surprise in Uttar Pradesh politics, Samajwadi Party’s senior MP Naresh Agrawal (66), the most vocal critic of the Modi government in the Rajya Sabha, on Monday joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) along with his UP MLA son Nitin, claiming he was inspired by the policies of PM Narendra Modi to switch side “unconditionally.”

However, minutes after joining BJP, Agrawal on Monday created a furore with comments belittling actor-politician Jaya Bachchan as someone “who used to dance in films”.

“I have been reduced to somebody working in films. For somebody who used to dance in films, act in films, I was denied a ticket (for Rajya Sabha). I did not find it appropriate,” Agrawal said while joining the BJP at its headquarters.

His remarks were dubbed “unacceptable” by party leader Sushma Swaraj and several other BJP leaders, including Union minister Piyush Goyal, who welcomed him into the party.

Swaraj took to Twitter to criticise Agrawal’s comments. “Naresh Agrawal has joined Bhartiya Janata Party. He is welcome. However, his comments regarding Jaya Bachhan ji are improper and unacceptable,” the external affairs minister tweeted.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra distanced his party from Agrawal’s remarks, saying it respects people from all fields and welcomed them in politics. For UP watchers, exit of Agrawal from the Samajwadi Party came as a big surprise as he was among those who had sided with Akhilesh in his fight with his father Mulayam in establishing the supremacy in the party. Agrawal has been a minister in Uttar Pradesh and twice MLA in the state. He has been the general secretary of the party.