Jaswant rules out returning to BJP, says it'll be betrayal of

Image
Press Trust of India Barmer (Raj)
Last Updated : May 15 2014 | 8:39 PM IST
Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh has ruled out the possibility of returning to the party fold after the election results are out tomorrow, saying this would be a "betrayal" of the people.
Talking to reporters here yesterday, Singh said that he had promised the people of Barmer and Jaisalmer that he would not return to BJP, "so now there is no question of doing it".
Singh, who contested the Lok Sabha elections from Rajasthan's Barmer Lok Sabha seat as an Independent after being denied a party ticket, said the people of Barmer and Jaisalmer will decide his new role after the election results.
The veteran leader, who had held external affairs, defence and finance portfolios during the earlier NDA regimes, said he had started his political career during the 4th General Elections (in 1967) but the support he got from the people in the 16th Lok Sabha elections was "unprecedented".
On a question on exit poll surveys, Singh questioned their veracity, saying while one survey predicted 350 seats for NDA, another gave around 250 seats.
He said that no BJP leader from Delhi had contacted him in the past few days, and added he, however, had visited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and met senior leader L K Advani after the polling. But the meetings were not political, he added.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 15 2014 | 8:39 PM IST

Next Story