BJP loose cannons unite Opp.

Opposition leaders are privately thanking the BJP’s Giriraj Singh, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj, Dilip Gandhi and others for providing issues due to their controversial comments which is keeping the Opposition alive inside and outside Parliament.

While Giriraj Singh and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti are Union ministers, Yogi Adityanath, Sakshi Maharaj and Dilip Gandhi are sitting BJP MPs. Their remarks are not only reviving the Opposition against the backdrop of the BJP’s spectacular victory in the Lok Sabha elections last year, but are putting a question mark on the optimism of top BJP leaders that the saffron party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain in power for the next 10 years. The BJP was completely decimated in the Delhi Assembly polls, which saw consolidation of anti- BJP parties.

Mr Singh is known for his loyalty to Mr Modi. His support to Mr Modi for Prime Minister and attack on Nitish Kumar helped him become Union minister.

The BJP wants to close the chapter but the Congress does not after realising that the top BJP leaders are defensive on this issue.

The Congress wants the PM to sack him from the Cabinet.

Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti had created a controversy with her “Raamzade versus Haraamzade” remarks. Yogi Adityanath had played the “love jihad” card in UP back and has been defending the “ghar wapsi” programme. He has been a hardliner and has consistently demanded construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

Sakshi Maharaj had praised Nathuram Godse. The party had served him a showcause notice, seeking an explanation for his comments.

These remarks have embarrassed the BJP. They have given ammunition to the Opposition, which has accused it of a bid to polarise the public discourse.