Politics
Naresh Agarwal, centre, being inducted into the BJP. (Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via GettyImages)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has found itself in the midst of a fresh controversy over its latest political catch – former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Chandra Agarwal, a man who has had significant trouble in figuring what to utter and what not on multiple occasions.
Agarwal, a seven-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Hardoi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, made the political switch after losing out on the Rajya Sabha nomination to Jaya Bachchan, someone he chose to brand as “filmon mein kaam karne wali”.
Twitter was quick to erupt in shock and disgust, given Agarwal’s tryst with words in the past have left many angry, baffled, and even led a few to question his sanity. Questioning the BJP’s need to embrace him, online supporters have not shied away from showcasing their reservations against this move.
Their reservations are not completely unjustified, for the ‘sins’ of Agarwal make him a questionable element for any political party. In SP, where the phrase ‘ladkon se galti ho jaati’ hai (boys make mistakes) dictates major social policies, his presence was not entirely out of place. Looking at Agarwal’s previous misadventures, this maverick politician does not seem like an ideal pick by a party that runs the country.
While some supporters may be attributing this embrace to the electoral maths and weakening of SP with the next general elections just around the corner, one wishes BJP had better filters when it came to admitting elements from other political parties.
This also raises questions about what BJP stands for? From what is evident, the party seems to be fine with anything and everything that can potentially improve its electoral fortunes.
And amidst all the chaos, where is the opposition?
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest