Ram Jethmalani renews pressure on Gadkari to quit as BJP president, says Jaswant, Yashwant too want him out
Veteran Supreme Court lawyer and BJP's Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday made it clear that not only he or his son Mahesh Jethmalani, but also some other senior leaders of the party, including Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha thought alike about Gadkari's continuance as the president.
A day after Mahesh Jethmalani quit the BJP national executive council, his father Ram Jethmalani and other veterans created a pressure group to force Gadkari out of the office. The group of elders has been worried about the impact of Gadkari's continuance as the BJP president despite serious allegations of corruption and wrongdoing, involving his company Purti group.
Addressing newspersons, the senior Jethmalani on Tuesday said that "either Gadkari should resign or publicly offer to resign". He said it was "in the interest of party and Gadkari himself".
"Resignation pending enquiry is not admission of guilt. I thought our president would resign or will offer to resign. But he did nothing. I have been contacted by Gurumurthy after I made this statement. I thought they will meet me, but that also did not happen. I also wanted to meet Gadkari since May, but no meeting has taken place," Jethmalani said.
Attacking Gadkari over his comparison of Vivekananda with the absconding underworld don-turned-terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, Jethmalani said, "I think it is a very silly statement on Gadkari's part. Frankly, I would have resigned... but the country needs opposition party. I am facing tremendous conflict in my mind."
"It seems that there is brave voice in Congress. It is only about sycophants supporting a corrupt family. I will remain in the party, though there are many in the party who would like to resign. I am in touch with Jaswant, Yashwant and Shtrughan and they are of the same opinion," he said admitting keeping in touch with Yaswant Sinha, Jaswant Singh and Shatrughan Sinha.
Gadkari meets Sushma, Jaitley
Amidst statements of his party colleagues' statements against him, Gadkari met the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, to discuss some "pending issues", party sources said. He also met the Leader of Opposition in the Rjya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, separately.
If Monday was a bad day for BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Tuesday was worse for the leader battling Opposition charges and revolt within his party.
Veteran Supreme Court lawyer and BJP's Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday made it clear that not only he or his son Mahesh Jethmalani, but also some other senior leaders of the party, including Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha thought alike about Gadkari's continuance as the president.
A day after Mahesh Jethmalani quit the BJP national executive council, his father Ram Jethmalani and other veterans created a pressure group to force Gadkari out of the office. The group of elders has been worried about the impact of Gadkari's continuance as the BJP president despite serious allegations of corruption and wrongdoing, involving his company Purti group.Addressing newspersons, the senior Jethmalani on Tuesday said that "either Gadkari should resign or publicly offer to resign". He said it was "in the interest of party and Gadkari himself".
"Resignation pending enquiry is not admission of guilt. I thought our president would resign or will offer to resign. But he did nothing. I have been contacted by Gurumurthy after I made this statement. I thought they will meet me, but that also did not happen. I also wanted to meet Gadkari since May, but no meeting has taken place," Jethmalani said.
Attacking Gadkari over his comparison of Vivekananda with the absconding underworld don-turned-terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, Jethmalani said, "I think it is a very silly statement on Gadkari's part. Frankly, I would have resigned... but the country needs opposition party. I am facing tremendous conflict in my mind."
"It seems that there is brave voice in Congress. It is only about sycophants supporting a corrupt family. I will remain in the party, though there are many in the party who would like to resign. I am in touch with Jaswant, Yashwant and Shtrughan and they are of the same opinion," he said admitting keeping in touch with Yaswant Sinha, Jaswant Singh and Shatrughan Sinha.
Gadkari meets Sushma, Jaitley
Prior to that RSS ideologue S. Gurumurthy and Yashwant Sinha met Jaswant Singh at his residence. Gurumurthy then also met BJP patriarch L.K. Advani.
BJP unhappy over Mahesh Jethmalani going public against Gadkari
Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said party leader Mahesh Jethmalani should have kept his view on Gadkari on party forum rather than going directly to the media.
"The statement that he has given should reach the party office or should speak in the official forum... When party will decide something only then will I say anything. I don't know party's position as of now," she said.
Senior party leader Balbir Punj said that those who took the problems within the party to a public forum were not doing any good to the BJP and the ideology. He said there was enough arrangement in the party to discuss such issues. 
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