'Independent' of BJP, Jaswant Singh files nomination in Barmer

Rebel BJP veteran Jaswant Singh filed nomination papers as an independent candidate from Barmer on Monday, and then took a dig at the saffron party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying the “NaMo” chant reeks of arrogance and reminds him of Emergency Rule.

The sitting Darjeeling MP did not spare party president Rajnath Singh and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje as well, accusing them of betraying party ideology and turning it into another Congress. 

Singh is miffed at being denied the chance to contest from his family seat of Barmer in Rajasthan. At the behest of Raje, his arch-rival from the Congress, Col Sonaram Chaudhary, was inducted into the BJP and given named the party's candidate from Barmer.

“Ye NaMo, NaMo ka jo tamasha hai (the circus around NaMo chants), it reminds me of 1975 (Emergency Rule). It reeks of arrogance,” Singh told reporters after filing nomination. But so far he has not quit the party, saying it was up to the BJP to remove him. The BJP is throwing its weight behind Chaudhary, as Raje has decided to accompany the party candidate when he files his nomination from Barmer on Tuesday.

Earlier, speaking to his supporters, Singh said, “they have betrayed me,” taking direct aim at Rajnath Singh and Vasundhara Raje. “I will not say goodbye till the party says goodbye,” he said, daring the BJP to remove him.