News4u-News Desk-Jaswant Singh, expelled from the BJP four days ago, called on former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday and said later the party patriarch had “blessed” him.
“After returning from Shimla this is the first time I’ve met him(Vajpayee.) I went to wish him on Ganesh Chaturthi, inquire about his health and seek his blessings. I have his blessings now,” Singh told reporters outside Vajpayee’s Krishna Menon Marg residence after his first meeting with a BJP leader since he was expelled by the party on Wednesday.
Singh, who is considered close to Vajpayee, refused to reveal details of his meeting with the 85-year-old leader, who is away from active politics owing to ill health. On Saturday he had met his former Cabinet colleague and JD (U) leader George Fernandes.
Asked whether he discussed the issue of his expulsion, the former union minister said Vajpayee watches Television and is aware of everything. “There is no need to brief him,” he added.
To a query on whether he presented the copy of his latest book “Jinnah – India, Partition, Independence” to the party veteran, Singh said: “I told you what we discussed.”
Singh is one of the few Indian politicians to have been the minister for Finance, Defence and External Affairs — all during the two tenures of Vajpayee.
Singh has claimed that he, along with some other BJP leaders, was able to prevail upon Vajpayee against resigning after L K Advani stopped him (Vajpayee) from taking action against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi following the post-Godhra riots in 2002.
Kulkarni persuaded to resign: Jaswant
Expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh on Sunday said L K Advani’s aide Sudhendra Kulkarni was “persuaded to resign”.
“…he (Kulkarni) has been persuaded to resign,” Singh said when asked about Kulkarni’s decision to sever links with the BJP especially against the backdrop that he had defended Singh, especially on the issue of his comments on Jinnah.
“I am sorry that a person who worked for so long and so diligently that Shri Advani has found it sufficiently (pause). He (Kulkarni ) has been persuaded to resign,” Singh told reporters at New Delhi on Sunday.
Advani stopped Vajpayee from acting against Modi: Jaswant
Firing a fresh salvo at L K Advani, expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh has claimed that the former Home Minister stopped Atal Bihari Vajpayee from taking action against Narendra Modi over the 2002 riots on the ground that it could trigger uproar in the party.
Prime Minister Vajpayee was “disturbed” and wrote down his resignation letter in his Parliamentary office. “Parliament was in session,” Singh said to a news channel.
“He (Vajpayee) pulled a piece of paper and he started writing his resignation by hand. I held his hand and he looked at me severely and I said what are you doing. Don’t do this. He said chod do and I somehow I persuaded him. We went to his house. We were able to defuse the situation,” Singh said.
Singh said he alongwith Vajpayee, Advani and Arun Shourie were flying to Goa for a BJP meeting when the conversation relating to the Gujarat Chief Minister cropped up.
“He (Vajpayee) asked, Gujarat ka kya karna hai (what should be done about Gujarat ?…there was silence for sometime. He then said Gujarat ke bare mein sochna chahiye. Then Advaniji went towards the bathroom…Atalji said poochhiye fir ky karna hai (ask him then what should be done)?
“I went and asked Advaniji. Advaniji just said one phrase-bawaal khada ho jayega party mein (there will be uproar in the party,” Singh said.
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