Openly defiant of BJP leadership: Will Shatrughan Sinha be AAP’s face in Bihar?

What’s actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha up to? He has been open in his defiance of the mighty BJP leadership for sometime now. Over the last few weeks, as the assembly election draws closer, he has become more brazen in his actions. He skipped the Maha Parivartan Rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur and then left the party’s leadership red-faced by meeting and praising Janata Dal (U) leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the very next day. A couple of days ago, he met his party’s biggest detractor, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, at the latter’s residence and praised his performance effusively. This is when the BJP is locked in a nasty, no-holds-barred fight with the Aam Aadmi Party. [caption id=“attachment_2384154” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Shatrugan Sinha. Image from IBN Live.[/caption] Though Sinha and Kejriwal told the media that no political discussion was held and that they exchanged views on the FTII issue and setting up a film city in the national capital to make it a hub of art and culture, sources say the two leaders held a detailed discussion on the formation of a new political equation for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. “The leaders had a detailed discussion on caste equations and vote shares of different communities in the state. They also discussed the AAP’s chances if it contested,” said a person close to the development strictly on the condition of anonymity. Earlier, Kejriwal had refused to take the plunge but there were reports that he would campaign against the BJP, thereby indirectly supporting the JD(U)-RJD-Congress secular alliance. “Sinha, who is miffed with the BJP regime for sidelining him, tried his best to convince Kejriwal to join the electoral battle in Bihar. After the meeting, the party is mulling participation with Sinha as its face,” he added. Many leaders of BJP’s Bihar unit are unhappy with the party’s leadership and Sinha is said to be in touch with them. If he formally joins the AAP, he may come with other dissenters as well and it will adversely affect the saffron party’s prospect in the state. The source said Sinha’s popularity as a film actor may or may not help the party secure a few seats in the 243-seat house but all the votes his favour will come at the cost of the BJP. Sinha may use AAP’s novelty value to secure an assembly seat for his wife Poonam Sinha. Earlier, there were reports that Poonam would contest on a JD(U) ticket. However, the BJP MP later denied the report as a rumour. Asked won’t it be detrimental for Nitish Kumar who has cordial relation with Kejriwal, he said any decision in this regard will be made keeping everything in mind. “Our aim is to defeat Modi and the BJP and we are ready to exploit all opportunities to achieve this aim,” he said. Asked if he means the AAP can fight the polls in alliance with the JD(U) and the RJD, he replied, “He cannot say anything on this because the party is yet to come up with a decision.” However, another source in the AAP said the party may not directly join the grand alliance because of the ‘tainted’ Lalu Prasad. “If we contest the polls, we will do it independently with mutual understanding and keeping in mind that the candidate from the grand alliance. We will have a sort of informal seat sharing with the JD(U)-RJD alliance,” he clarified. The AAP is working aggressively on strengthening its organisation in Bihar. Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, who belongs to Bihar’s Madhubani district, has been made party’s in-charge for the state. Sources suggest he is getting good response and the rank of volunteers has swelled. The development did not come as a surprise to senior BJP leaders of Bihar. They say it was about to happen. “As the election will draw nearer many more will change sides given the way we are being ignored by our central leadership which commands everything,” a senior most leader of the BJP told Firstpost. Asked about Sinha, he said he won’t resign the party. He wants martyrdom. “He has been serving the BJP since the days of Janata Party but his services were never acknowledged. He was not given any plum post in the party, which he deserves. No doubt, he is upset. But as far as I know him he will never resign on his own. He wants to be expelled and therefore, he is meeting and praising our political rivals,” he observed. Asked if his ouster would have an impact on the party, another leader replied in a big YES. “Although he is not a mass leader but he enjoys the support of the Kayastha community, which is 1.5% in the state. If he makes his possible ouster the issue of _Kayastha asmita (_dignity), it will certainly cause damage to the BJP. In addition, because of being a film actor, he is a crowd puller,” the source said.