Jaswant should reconsider decision to contest: Venkaiah

The decision of Jaswant Singh to contest as an independent from Barmer is unfortunate, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said today while appealing his colleague to reconsider it.
Naidu, former BJP president, said he has sympathy for Jaswant Singh but since the party has taken a decision, he should "follow the directive" of the party.
"It is unfortunate that he has chosen to contest as an independent. It is not too late even now to realise and then support the party," he told reporters here.
He was responding when asked about the sulking Jaswant Singh filing his nomination papers as an independent from Barmer Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan after being denied the party ticket.

Giving a sense of the developments, Naidu claimed that he had personally taken up Jaswant Singh's case with the party's Central Election Committee.
"But, as the (Rajasthan) state party had not come prepared to discuss the seat on the particular day, the election committee had authorised the national president to hold discussions with the state unit and finally take a view," he added.
Noting that the party has taken a view, Naidu said, "Once the party takes a view, it is binding on all of us and even Jaswant Singh has to follow the party's directives."
He said he has sympathy for Singh, the founder member of BJP who has served as the central minister, besides the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.