Rajasthan: Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra quits BJP, says it was a mistake to join party

Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh resigned from the party while addressing a rally in Rajasthan on Saturday. “Kamal ka phool humari badi bhool (It was my mistake to join the party whose symbol is the lotus flower),” Manvendra Singh said during Swabhiman rally in Pachpadra in Barmer district. Rajasthan is slated to go for polls later this year.

“I am no longer with BJP.” he had told PTI after the meeting.

The Singh family’s relation with the BJP has been strained ever since Jaswant was denied a party ticket by BJP for 2014 elections from his hometown of Barmer.

In the same year, Manvendra was suspended by the BJP’s primary membership for campaigning for his father, who contested as an independent, as against the party’s official candidate.

"There have been many rallies on Gaurav (pride) and Sankalp (determination) but today's rally is the biggest - it is the rally for Swabhiman (self-respect). Swabhiman is our right and we are committed to it,” said Manvendra Singh.

The lawmaker from Sheo alleged that PM Narendra Modi had called him in 2014, after his father Jaswant Singh, was denied a ticket. PM Modi said "we have old relations and whatever has happened about the Barmer ticket is very sad," said Manvendra Singh.