BJP suspends Kirti Azad for taking on Jaitley

He had alleged large-scale corruption in Delhi's cricket body when it was headed by the now Finance Minister; charges of 'anti-party activities' leveled against him

The BJP on Wednesday suspended MP Kirti Azad, who has alleged large-scale corruption in Delhi's cricket body when it was headed by now Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

"Yes, he has been suspended for anti-party activities," Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Anil Jain told IANS, reading out an official statement.

BJP spokesman G.V.L. Narasimha Rao added that the party acted against Azad, a three-time Lok Sabha member from Darbhanga in Bihar, for taking an "anti-BJP line".

Azad, a member of the 1983 Indian cricket team which won the World Cup, is the first BJP MP to be suspended since Narendra Modi became the prime minister in May last year.

Azad has for years carried on a campaign against what he calls major corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which was headed by Jaitley for 13 years until 2013.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party dubbed Azad's suspension "unfortunate" and said he was being punished for battling corruption.