Click to play videoBJP President Rajnath Singh finally broke his silence over the crisis in the party. In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN’s Bhupendra Chaubey, Singh speaks about the party’s succession plan, Hindutva and why he will not seek for a second term as the party President.
Excerpts from the interview:
CNN-IBN: Do you sometimes feel bad when people say that Rajnath Singh’s term will soon be over or when there is talk about BJP’s succession plan.
Rajnath Singh: I want to clear this once and for all that in the BJP an individual can be the president for only one term whether he is the zila president or the national president of the party. The rule is in BJP constitution. So it’s very unfortunate when it is said that Rajnath Singh is on his way out.
CNN-IBN: Is there no scope of an amendment?
Rajnath Singh: Why? There is no need for an amendment.
CNN-IBN: Talks are on in the media regarding BJP’s succession plan. Are they baseless?
Rajnath Singh: There are many useless things being debated. I don’t want to comment on those. Sometimes I am amazed at all that is happening. What succession plan are we talking about?
CNN-IBN: There are no disagreements or fights within the BJP?
Rajnath Singh: No, nothing. It is such a huge political party. What you think is immense is nothing when compared to the Congress which has seen two vertical divisions. But nobody can say the same thing about the BJP.
CNN-IBN: There was a perception that there is ideological confusion in the party. I understand that you have repeatedly denied this. Do you think this can be a factor during the elections?
Rajnath Singh: There is no ideological confusion in the party. The media has unnecessarily created a hype.
CNN-IBN: There is no scope of flexibility in the party?
Rajnath Singh: What is the need of flexibility in all this? Our ideology does not show discrimination between an individual and his expressions. So what flexibility are we then talking about?
CNN-IBN: In your national executive you had mentioned that the BJP’s core belief in Hindutva will always be intact.
Rajnath Singh: The problem is that you all don’t understand the meaning of Hindutva. I request you to please see how the Supreme Court defines Hindutva. If you call us communal for believing in this ideology then will you also call the Supreme Court communal?
CNN-IBN: What is the relationship between the RSS and the BJP?
Rajnath Singh: There are many people in the BJP who are volunteers in the RSS.
CNN-IBN: Is it fair to describe RSS as a father-like figure for the BJP?
Rajnath Singh: No, there is no such thing like a father-child relationship. It is just that there are many RSS members in the BJP.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
