Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari's newly-constituted team has come in for stinging criticism by actor-turned-MP Shatrughan Sinha, who said some of the most deserving people have been left out.
Two days after the much-awaited team of office bearers was announced, Sinha on Thursday refuted suggestions that he was a contender for any post, but felt party stalwart and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha should have been included.
Yashwant Sinha, a former leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly, has held key portfolios at the Centre, including those of finance and external affairs.
"Bihar assembly polls are most crucial for the party in the near future, yet a leader of the calibre of Yashwant Sinha has been kept out of the team. Some of the people who could have been avoided have been taken at the cost of some of the most deserving people," he told PTI.
Sinha claimed that the team was constituted without consulting "people who matter like my friend and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and some other top leaders".
"Being a senior and matured leader, I do not want to break party discipline by making any undesirable comments, but I am certainly worried and to certain extent unhappy with the composition of the team," he said.
Shatrughan Sinha dubbed Gadkari's team as 'new wine in old bottle and, if we include bodies like the parliamentary board, old wine in old bottle'.
Though Sinha did not name Ravishanker Prasad, a fellow Bihari and casteman, who has been included as general secretary in the new dispensation, party insiders say he was unhappy over his appointment to the powerful post ahead of the state assembly polls in October.
Sinha, one of the star campaigners for the party in the past several assembly and parliamentary elections, wanted a greater role for himself in the Bihar polls, sources said.
Prasad had given Sinha a run for his money before the party finally gave the latter ticket to contest Patna Saheb seat in the last Lok Sabha elections, which he won. The yesteryear actor said he never wanted any post in the new team.
"I never sought nor got any position, but still maintained my kad (stature), which for me is acceptability, respectability and towering personality in totality. These are more important to me than all perks combined together".
Sinha said he bore no ill will towards Gadkari and was very fond of him.
"I have always treated Gadkari like a younger brother and friend. Nevertheless, the composition of the new team, personally speaking, is unfortunate and I am quite unhappy."
Asked if he would raise the matter in the party fora, Sinha replied in the negative and said, "Most partymen are unhappy but there is time and we will wait and watch."
