BJD SAYS NOT INVITED FOR KOLKATA RALLY

Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday stayed away from the Opposition rally in Kolkata.

BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said that the BJD had not received any invitation for attending the rally.

Miffed over the presence of its Patna Sahib MP, Shatrughan Sinha at the TMC’s Brigade Ground rally, the BJP on Saturday made it clear that the party will take “cognisance” of his presence at the united opposition rally against the Narendra Modi government and termed the actor-turned-politician an “opportunist.”

Sharing the stage with opposition leaders in Kolkata, disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha Saturday called for changing the government in the 2019 Lok Sabha election and said he was not afraid of being removed from the ruling party.

“My elder brother Yashwant Sinha was saying that after this I will be definitely removed from the party, I told him ‘koi baat nahi hai’ (no problem),” he said.

Known for his powerful dialogues in Hindi movies, Sinha said, “He is in Bharatiya Janata Party but before that he is with Bharat ki janata.”

Describing Mr Sinha as an “opportunist,” BJP’s national spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said he was in the party to enjoy the perks of being an MP, but at the same time seen making different voices at various platforms.

“Sinha has been speaking against the party at various platforms. And it is always important for the BJP to act against such people and the party will take cognisance of it,” Mr Rudy said.

Taking a dig at the Patna Sahib MP, Mr Rudy said some people are “intelligent in different ways”. They abide by the party’s whip so that they don’t lose their membership. At the same time, they are so opportunistic... And can be present at any conclave. The BJP will take cognisance of it.”

Mr Sinha has been regularly speaking against the BJP’s top leadership which provoked Bihar’s deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi earlier this week, who suggested that Mr Sinha should quit the party.

The next (Lok Sabha) elections will be the second fight for Independence. We will stop this poison of Hindutva and radical Hinduism from spreading. Our call is to defeat Modi and save the country.

— M.K. STALIN, DMK president