BJP 'unjustly targeting' me, says Jharkhand MP Jayant Sinha in reply to show-cause notice

Three days after the BJP sent a show-cause notice to Jayant Sinha, the Hazaribagh MP said that the saffron party was “unjustly targeting” him and that he was “surprised” to receive BJP state general secretary Aditya Sahu’s letter.

With his response to the show cause notice, the rift between Sinha and BJP has intensified. The notice claimed that the BJP MP did not cast his vote from Jharkhand during the fifth phase of the election.

The notice also claimed that Sinha has not been campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and that he has distanced himself from the party.

‘Wrong to allege’

Addressing the letter to Aditya Sahu, Sinha said that he was “surprised” to receive the letter. The leader clarified that he had informed well before the elections about his intentions to step back from electoral responsibilities.

“I withdrew from the Lok Sabha elections on March 2, 2024. After consulting with JP Nadda and getting his explicit approval, I made it clear publicly that I was not going to be involved in these elections,” he said, adding that he was always ready to support the party on economic and governance policies.

Sinha, in March, posted on X, requesting the saffron party to relieve him from electoral duties.

In the letter, the leader said that he was approached by many leaders in Delhi asking him not to withdraw and continue his candidacy. “This was a difficult period, filled with intense public emotion. However, I maintained political decorum and restraint,” Sinha added.

After Sinha, a two-time sitting MP from Hazaribag, stepped back, the BJP fielded Manish Jaiswal from the constituency.

My response to Shri Aditya Sahu ji’s letter sent on May 20, 2024 pic.twitter.com/WfGIIyTvdz

The saffron party had accused Sinha of not participating in any election rally with Jaiswal. Responding to this, he said, “On April 29, I received a call from Manish Jaiswal inviting me to his nomination rally on May 1. Due to late notice, it was not feasible for me to arrive in Hazaribagh by the morning of May 1. Consequently, I travelled to Hazaribagh on May 2 and went directly to Jaiswal’s residence to express my regards.”

However, Sinha found Jaiswal not present at his home. Following this, Sinha claims that Jaiswal did not contact him.

About the BJP’s allegation that Sinha did not cast his vote, the leader said that he sent his vote through a postal ballot as he had left India on May 10 “to attend some pressing personal commitments.”

Jharkhand went to polls on May 20 and will vote in four phases.

Sinha and BJP at odds?

Sinha, a BJP stalwart who has been entrusted with important portfolios including the Civil Aviation Ministry and Finance Ministry, requested the saffron party to relieve him from electoral duties.

In a statement posted on X, Sinha, son of Trinamool Congress leader Yashwant Sinha, sought a greater role in combating climate change. The leader, however, mentioned his intention to continue working for the party on issues like economic and governance.

BJP also suffered another setback in Jharkhand after Sinha’s son Aashir Sinha joined Congress last week.