Shatrughan Sinha, the BJP’s in-house critic, may contest next month’s national election from his Bihar seat, but as a candidate of the rival Congress party, reported NDTV.
The outspoken actor-turned-politician, whose criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has grown progressively sharper, may not figure on the BJP’s list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls at all.
Despite his very public attacks on Modi, the BJP stopped short of sacking him or taking any disciplinary action. But apparently, Shatrughan Sinha, nicknamed “Shotgun” for his ready wit and candour, did push his party too far.
It is more or less certain that Patna Sahib, which elected Shatrughan Sinha to parliament in 2009 and 2014, will now have a different BJP candidate – Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
As reports of his imminent replacement emerged, Shatrughan Sinha, 72, declared that he would contest from Patna Sahib, come what may, even if it meant joining another party.
The rebel BJP parliamentarian has routinely tested his leadership with his unbridled critique on social media.