It’s the million-dollar question, why fielding of Kripa Shankar Singh and denial of Pragya Singh Thakur
BJP’s first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha election had created surprise and anger in Right Wing cadres due to the fielding of former controversial Congressman Kripa Shankar Singh and the denial of a ticket to Pragya Singh Thakur. Kripa Shankar who was part of coining the word “Hindu Terror” was fielded by BJP from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh and Pragya Singh Thakur, a victim of the so-called Hindu Terror campaign and sitting MP from Bhopal is replaced by Alok Sharma.
Kripa Shankar, facing a series of charges of corruption was President of Congress’ Mumbai Regional Committee till 2015 and was known for the Money Bag operation from Mumbai to Delhi for the Congress party. He was born in Jaunpur and started his career in Mumbai as a Machine Operator. BJP raised many corruption charges against him from 2004 when he became Minister for State in the Home Ministry in Maharashtra. It is still a million-dollar question why BJP’s central leadership fielded tainted Kripa Shankar in Uttar Pradesh.
Kripa Shankar was part of the Digvijaya Singh gang in accusing RSS and BJP cadre as part of Hindu Terror when the 26/11 Mumbai terror happened. He was part of the book release blaming RSS responsible for the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai. Kripa Shankar was a close aide of Ahmed Patel and Sonia Gandhi and was known for Money bag transport from Mumbai to Delhi during the heyday Congress regime. He and his family members are facing cases for disproportionate assets and even for holding two PAN Cards of Income Tax.
Many in the BJP raised objections when BJP gave him entry in 2022 and the majority of the cadre were stunned when BJP gave him a Lok Sabha seat from Uttar Pradesh, where he has no role, except born in Jaunpur. How did BJP’s central leadership headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi give a ticket to this tainted corrupt man, who abused RSS and blamed the organization for the 26/11 terror attack?
What irks the Right Wing cadre is the denial of ticket to Pragya Singh Thakur, the sitting MP from Bhopal who defeated Congress’ Digvijaya Singh for more than four lakh votes in 2019. Pragya was the victim of the Congress regime’s fake case on so-called “Hindu Terror”. Pragya few years ago invited controversy for supporting Mahatma Gandhi’s killer Nathuram Godse and Prime Minister Modi admonished her. “I will never forgive her making such comments against Mahatma Gandhiji. We fielded her as the candidate to challenge the fake campaign on Hindu Terror,” said Modi, two years ago, rebuking Pragya Singh Thakur.
Pragya Singh Thakur is now out on bail in the Malegaon blast case. During the Congress regime, she was in jail for more than six years and was brutally tortured. The agencies made her accused, charging that the motorcycle used in the blast was owned by her, 10 years ago.
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
- Supreme Court rejects plea to tally all VVPAT slips with EVM votes; says ‘no going back to paper ballot’ - April 26, 2024
- US report citing human rights violations is deeply biased: India - April 25, 2024
- Kotak Mahindra Bank shares tank 13%. Market Cap erodes by Rs.37,721 cr post-RBI action - April 25, 2024
Without forming a Government jointly with PDP the action on 370 and 35A would have been very difficult. Similarly the tango with Kripa Shankar could well have a different angle given his past. Since he is fighting from UP, he will have to extend his support to BJP in Mumbai.