Tremors within the BJP are still continuing with senior leader Yashwant Sinha taking a dig on Thursday at Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, the party’s new campaign committee head, over his alleged parochialism. Mr Sinha, in a veiled criticism of Mr Modi over his recent “rescue act” in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand, said a “national leader” should be concerned about all Indians, not just people from his state.
The BJP is, meanwhile, believed to be looking at the possibility of bringing back former Karnataka strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa into the party fold ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The former Karnataka chief minister quit the party and formed his own outfit.
This is being resisted by a section that includes general secretary Ananth Kumar.
The RSS too is not in favour of bringing back Mr Yeddyurappa.
In an apparent dig at Mr Modi over his “rescue” of Gujarati pilgrims stuck in Uttarakhand, Mr Sinha, MP from Hazaribagh, said: “If one is a national leader, then he should be concerned about everyone from any part of the country.”
He added if he was rescuing a person from Jharkhand, and next to him sat a Bengali or someone from another state, he wouldn’t leave him to his fate.
Mr Sinha urged politicians to leave relief and rescue work to those actually in charge.
Yashwant Sinha also condemned the recent incident where Congress and TDP MPs scuffled in Dehra Dun over ferrying pilgrims.