New Delhi:
In what can be seen as the highest level of opposition within the BJP over the induction of Babu Singh Kushwaha, sources have told NDTV that senior leaders LK Advani, MM Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have said no to backing 'criminal candidates'.
"The BJP leaders will not campaign for criminals or party-switchers," sources told NDTV.
The BJP has been facing criticism from within and from other parties over the induction of the tainted former BSP minister.
Yesterday, senior BJP leader Maneka Gandhi spoke openly about the deep resentment within the party in Uttar Pradesh over Mr Kushwaha, a man who is being investigated for presiding over a deeply corrupt ministry. Mr Kushwaha was sacked first as a minister in Mayawati's government and then from her party.
"The party has received him. But that is no immunity for anything for which the law will take its full course," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said yesterday. The reasons for Mr Kushwaha's induction were then made clear. Acknowledging Mr Kushwaha's allure as a leader of Other Backward Classes or OBCs, she continued, "Most backward classes are today looking up to the BJP because we are taking their fight forward in Uttar Pradesh. Other parties like BSP, SP and Congress are not serving the backward," Mrs Gandhi stressed.
(Read: Kalyan Singh says Kushwaha paid crores for entry into BJP)Mr Kushwaha's route into the BJP was reportedly paved by another OBC leader, Vinay Katiyar. The move was allegedly sanctioned by president Nitin Gadkari and was not supported by other party leaders like LK Advani and Sushma Swaraj. "I don't think any of the party leadership were consulted before taking this decision," said Mrs Gandhi in an indication that Mr Gadkari may be isolated over the issue.
Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti, allegedly provoked by Mr Khushwaha, decided to suspend her campaign in UP. Sources say a phone call from Mr Gadkari last afternoon coaxed her to change her mind. To the party's great relief, she then said that any change in her rallies next week can be attributed to her health.
A scam worth several thousand crores unfolded in the UP government's Family Welfare Department which Mr Kushwaha headed till April last year. Three senior doctors in his department died during his term as minister - two of them were killed, the third died in mysterious circumstances in jail. All of them were privy to details of how a section of Mr Kushwaha's ministry was siphoning off crores from the National Rural Health Mission. The swindle and the deaths of the doctors are being investigated by the CBI.
On Thursday, the BJP's parent-body, the RSS, made it clear that it does not support Mr Kushwaha's arrival in the BJP. Nitish Kumar, an important ally, who runs the Bihar government in partnership with the BJP also said that Mr Kushwaha's induction indicates "an unhealthy and inappropriate trend."
As a corrective measure, the BJP has said that Mr Kushwaha will not be given a ticket for the UP elections, or used as a campaigner.