Party gave Yashwant Sinha a lot but he acted like a Congress leader, says BJP

Yashwant Sinha alleged on Wednesday that there was a `threat` to democracy under the present dispensation.

New Delhi: Hours after former union minister Yashwant Sinha quit the party, the BJP said on Saturday that it was not surprised by his announcement. 

"It was clear from his comments and writing that he was no longer in the BJP. The party gave him a lot of respect and important positions but his conduct has been improper. His comments sounded more like that of a Congress leader or somebody working at the behest of the opposition party," BJP spokesperson and national media head Anil Baluni said.

The party is not surprised by Sinha's announcement, he added, as per PTI.

Sinha, who has been a vocal critic of the current BJP leadership and the government, alleged on Saturday that there was a 'threat' to democracy under the present dispensation. 

"I have had a long association with the BJP. Today I am severing my ties with the BJP," the 80-year-old announced at a meeting in Patna attended by Opposition leaders from the Congress and the RJD besides 'dissident' BJP leader and Patna Sahib MP Shatrughan Sinha. The meeting was hosted by 'Rashtriya Manch' (National Forum) that Sinha had formed on January 30, 2018, as an 'apolitical forum'.

Sinha, who held finance and external affairs portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, made it clear that he would not join any other political party, saying he was taking 'sanyas' (retirement) from party politics and will now work for "saving democracy in the country".

"I am announcing from this platform that four years back I had quit electoral politics. Now I am taking 'sanyas' from party politics. I am not going to be a member of any other political party," he added.

(With PTI inputs)