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Jethmalani stepped up pressure on BJP leadership today demanding the immediate resignation of BJP President Nitin Gadkari and claimed three other senior leaders including Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha were with him on the issue.
"I am in touch with Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha (all Lok Sabha members). We seem to be on the same wave length. I don't presume to predict how they will.... We are clearly of the opinion that resignation of the party President is imminently called for," he told reporters
He said he had written to Gadkari and L K Advani on his and on behalf of other three leaders but refused to divulge the contents.
Jethmalani, who first demanded Gadkari's resignation last month, said Gadkari should not be given another term as President since it would harm the party in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The recent BJP national council meeting had amended the party's constitution to enable Gadkari get a second term.
His son Mahesh, who is also an eminent lawyer, yesterday quit BJP national executive, saying he cannot be associated with it as long as Gadkari remains the party President.
Jethmalani said there was churning going on in the RSS on the Gadkari issue and felt that the Sangh fountainhead has not backed him on the issue.
To a question on the statement by some in BJP that he should not have gone public with his demands, he said he had tried to discuss it internally but nobody in the party had called him for any discussion.
Gadkari has been under attack from various quarters after media expose of the alleged dubious funding of a company run by him. He has refused to quit maintaining that he has offered himself for any probe on the issue.
Jethmalani said even when he made the demand for Gadkari's resignation from London last month, he thought the party President would consider it and call him and discuss it.
He said Gadkari did not call him. In fact RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy called him and requested him not to make further statements on the issue.
Jethmalani said he has been trying to talk about the issue with the party leaders internally.
Asked if he was ready for any disciplinary action by the party, he said he would be happy to be expelled for making public this demand but said he would not quit the organisation nor Parliament.
Queried who should replace Gadkari as party president, he said as per BJP constitution the senior most Vice President should take over.
Reiterating his view that Narendra Modi would be the best Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP, he said Modi does not have time for becoming party President.
Would like to ask Gadkari a few questions: Jethmalani
Jethmalani, late in the day today, said he may like to pose questions to the BJP President in a bid to convince himself of his innocence.
Jethmalani, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, had a meeting with RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy for about 40 minutes and told him that he would like to ask Gadkari a few questions and demanded documents which may prove that BJP chief's company was not involved in dubious fundings.
Gurumurthy met Jethmalani in a bid to pacify him.
"I told him (Gurumurthy) that it may be necessary for me to ask Gadkari a few questions. He says don't worry about it.
If you want to ask questions, Gadkari will answer them," Jethmalani said after the meeting with Gurumurthy.
Gurumurthy refused to answer questions by reporters.
Jethmalani said Gadkari had sent Gurumurthy to convince him that allegations levelled against him are "baseless and carry no weight."
"Gurumurthy tried to convince me. He has seen the documents...But I have not seen the documents, I am not prepared to accept any conclusion. I have told him to give me all the documents along with a note by tomorrow which I will study myself," the noted lawyer said.
Gadkari has been under attack from various quarters after a media expose of the alleged dubious funding of a company run by him. He has refused to quit as BJP chief maintaining that he has offered himself for any probe on the issue.
Jethmalani today demanded the immediate resignation of the BJP President and claimed three other senior leaders, including Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha, were with him on the issue.
HIGHLIGHTS
* Nitin Gadkari should resign as BJP president immediately, says Ram Jethmalani.
* Jethmalani claims Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha are with him on Gadkari's resignation.
Will be happy to be expelled for making the demand openly, says Jethmalani.
* Resignation will not be seen as admission of guilt, says Jethmalani
India and Indian has been lost, its elusive power which is being enshrined are being misused . I & I & I.
accusing Modi is a sickly mentality. jethmalani is only reflecting an average party supporter's wish. Gadkari was never a leader and putting him at the helms was the job of advani who does not want a strong man. Now, it is advani and co which is popping up gadkari, not Modi. why people always gun for Modi? Only communal minded does it, I know by experience because he advocates equality and ask congress to stop beating hindus. that is why
Advani was just waiting for a wrong step by Gadkari and Congress released the Gadkari's business empire (built on RSS ideology of workers being the true owners)to show the nation when stripping the nations asset the color of inner garment be it of khadi, khaki or Jockey makes no difference. So thanks to another Sindhi maverick Jethmalani Advani has checkmated RSS and by evening Gadkari has to go Advani once again can try a shot to service the nation as PM
Resignation did not happen after graft charges but artificial controversy has been created and if he resigns I would say Ahh ... what a plan !
Modi is using Jethmalani and co. to armtwist gadkari to toe his line. It is not long before Gadkari quits and Modi gets an bigger role in BJP. We have to wait and watch as the situation develops and see what card Advani plays.
Mr.Nitin Gadkariji very sorry to say, pl take leave and do the needful. Where is Mr.IAC(Kejiriwal),what happened Mr.Vadhra's case(Soina's SON IN LAW)like so many ......,C Congress knows how to deal with all Corrupted money,they are one behind with these duplicate Gandhi's.
It is a game plan of Narendra Modi.
