Lucknow,January 06 :The induction of tainted former UP minister Babu Singh Kushwaha today continued to create tension within the BJP, which attracted more controversy by giving a ticket for the Assembly elections to a former MP who was expelled from the Rajya Sabha over the cash-for-query scam.
Chhatrapal Singh, who was caught taking Rs 15,000 in a sting operation to ask questions in the Rajya Sabha, has been given the BJP ticket to contest from Anupshahr in western UP.
Lashing out at the decision to rope in tainted leaders, firebrand BJP MP Yogi Adityanath warned the party would have to “face consequences if the trend continued”.
“Those who are corrupt in the Mayawati government cannot become honest after coming to the BJP. A corrupt man is corrupt anywhere,” the MP from Gorakhpur, said.
“Such people should neither be allowed to join the party nor be given ticket to contest elections,” he said and threatened he would not campaign for such candidates and rather would oppose them.I feel we are making the same mistake that we made in 1997 and the 2004 elections. In 1997, we had made criminal elements a part of the government. And in 2004, there was an attempt to include a criminal in the party. I think the same mistake is being repeated time and again,” he said.
BJP MP from Dharbhanga Kirti Azad also criticised the decision to induct Kushwaha, who is facing a CBI probe in the National Rural Health Mission scam, saying there was substance in the comments made by other parties. “If there is any mistake, the party will rectify it,” he said.