Mumbai:
RN Singh, who was elected to the Legislative Council from Maharashtra today, has drawn the ire of the section of his party leaders for passing ‘unsavoury’ remarks against them over their opposition to his candidature. Singh is among ten candidates from the State who got elected to the Council unopposed on as many seats.
His candidature had sparked unrest in BJP owing to his alleged role in a dubious land deal in 2013 and for his links with the former Congress minister Kripashankar Singh who was prosecuted in a disproportionate assets case.
Singh, president of the ‘Uttar Bhartiya Sangh’, was reportedly given nomination by BJP in the view of forthcoming elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in 2017, to woo north Indians.
Singh, known for his resourcefulness in the political circles, runs a security agency.
When asked why his candidature was strongly opposed by a certain section within BJP, Singh used a noted Hindi proverb against his detractors.
Singh said that he did not care about his political rivals “who are very small as far my stature is concerned”.
However, his remark has evoked a sharp criticism from BJP. Mumbai unit BJP secretary Vivekanand Gupta said Singh has shown his true mentality, and demanded that the party leadership should take cognisance of the comments.
“He (Singh) has given certificate of his own culture by equating the party workers with dogs but we want to say that we are faithful dogs and working as democratic watchdogs in our party.”
A senior party leader said, “Singh has shown his true face and this is just the beginning. Party leadership will pay the price for making him a legislator”.
Another BJP secretary in Mumbai unit, Vinod Mishra said such derogatory remark was not tolerable and that he will complain against Singh to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“If he is so angry because of our opposition, then he should make such remark at a party forum. This is absolutely not acceptable to equate loyal and old party workers with dogs and I will register a complaint with chief minister in this regard,” Mishra added.
