Shatrughan Sinha drops major hint of quitting BJP, says 'time has come to make a decision'

Shatrughan made the remarks after meeting RJD leaders Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav today.

File photo

New Delhi: Disgruntled BJP lawmaker Shatrughan Sinha, who has been at loggerheads with the current BJP leadership since the 2015 Bihar election, over several issues, on Thursday, once again dropped a hint of quitting the party. 

Shatrughan, who met former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi today, said, "At present, I am in BJP. However, the time has come to make some decisions and I will make the right decision. I will soon decide which political party to join in." He added that he had come to meet the Lalu Prasad Yadav's family as he considers them as his own family. 

As per reports, Shatrughan and Rabri held the meeting for close to 30 minutes. 

Shatrughan has been the Patna Sahib MP since 2009. However, the BJP is unlikely to give him a ticket this time given his public and prolonged fallout with the party and open criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on several occasions, including at the time of demonetisation and Goods and Service Tax. 

Lately, Sinha has been found applauding RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. 

Shatrughan also said that 'whatever the situation may be, he will not change his constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections', making clear that he is adamant to contest again fro Patna Sahib seat, irrespective of party's decision. 

The BJP lawmaker also alleged that he wasn't invited to recently held rallies in the state by the party. "Things would have been different had I attended the rallies. These rallies were not like the previously held rallies of BJP," he said. 

The actor-turned-politician also asked the Narendra Modi-led government to clear its stand on the IAF airstrike on Jaish-e-Mohammed training centre in Balakot and said, "Different BJP leaders gave different figures. While Amit Shah claimed 250 Jaish terrorists were killed, Yogi Adityanath and Radhamohan said 350 and 400 respectively. The martyrs' families have also sought information on the airstrikes carried out by IAF on Balakot. The government must clarify the situation," he said. 

Only recently, Shatrughan held a meeting with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav at Lucknow, giving rise to speculations that he may contest the general elections on a Samajwadi Party. Reports also did the round that his wife and actress Poonam Sinha may enter politics from Lucknow, a seat which is currently held by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.