Jaswant return to BJP looks imminent

Jun 16, 2010 - Age Correspondent |

New Delhi

Former Union minister and expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh is all set to return to the saffron party. In the wake of initiatives by BJP president Nitin Gadkari and senior leader L.K. Advani to bring him back, an announcement is expected soon. Mr Singh was expelled from the BJP in August last year after releasing a book in which he had praised Pakistan’s founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

Sources said Mr Gadkari had met Mr Singh before leaving for the national executive meeting in Patna, when the latter had reportedly expressed his wish to return — in the presence of the party’s top brass. Mr Gadkari is learnt to have apprised the RSS of the party’s move to reinduct Mr Singh. The RSS had criticised Mr Singh for praising Jinnah and sought his explusion. The BJP is now working out a formula to effect Mr Singh’s return and a decision could be taken any time. When asked on Tuesday how soon Mr Singh could rejoin the BJP, general secretary Ananth Kumar said: “When a final decision is taken, our party president will brief the media himself.”
Speculation has been rife ever since Mr Singh had travelled with Mr Advani to Jaipur to attend former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s funeral recently.

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