Jayant Sinha Responds To BJP's "Didn't Vote, Attend Rallies" Notice

Former Union Minister and MP Jayant Sinha on Wednesday said that he was "surprised" to receive the BJP's show cause notice asking him why he didn't vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and did not take part in election campaigning.

In response to BJP's Jharkhand general secretary Aditya Sahu's letter, Mr Sinha said that he voted through the postal ballot process as he was overseas for "personal commitments". 

"I was very surprised to receive your letter and discover that you have released it to the media as well," Mr Sinha, who is the sitting MP from the Hazaribagh seat in Jharkhand, said in a two-page letter to Mr Sahu.

Responding to Mr Sahu's charge that he has not been taking part in "organisational work and election campaigning" ever since Manish Jaiswal was declared a candidate from the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat, Mr Sinha said that he was not invited for "any party events, rallies or organizational meetings".

"The party announced Shri Manish Jaiswal ji as its candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. My endorsement was evident when I congratulated Shri Jaiswal ji on 8 March 2024, an event that was well-documented on social media and demonstrated my unwavering support for the party's
choice," he said.

"If the party had wanted me to participate in any election activities, you could surely have contacted me. However, not a single senior party official or MP/MLA from Jharkhand reached out to me post my announcement on 2 March. I was not invited for any party events, rallies, or organizational meetings," he said.

My response to Shri Aditya Sahu ji's letter sent on May 20, 2024 pic.twitter.com/WfGIIyTvdz

Jayant Sinha, who in March had announced that he wouldn't contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, also said that he had requested BJP national president JP Nadda to relieve him from his "direct electoral duties".

"I withdrew from the Lok Sabha elections on 2 March 2024. After consulting with Shri Nadda ji and getting his explicit approval, I made it clear publicly that I was not going to be involved in these elections. I am happy to support the party on economic and governance policies and have continued to do so," the two-term MP told Mr Sahu.

Mr Sinha also said that on April 30, he received a call from Mr Jaiswal inviting him to his nomination rally on May 1, but he couldn't attend "due to the late notice"

"I traveled to Hazaribagh on 2 May 2024 and went directly to Shri Jaiswal ji's residence to express my regards. He was not present, so I conveyed my message to his family," Mr Sinha said.

Mr Sinha, who has been associated with the BJP for over 25 years, said that his "development and organizational work in Hazaribagh have been appreciated widely", that also reflected in his "record" victories in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.

"Given my contributions to the party and the circumstances detailed above, the public issuance of your letter is unseemly. Your approach demoralizes dedicated party workers and undermines the party's collective efforts. Additionally, despite my loyalty and hard work for the party, it appears that I am being unjustly targeted," he told Mr Sahu.

"We could have certainly spoken in person or on the phone at any time to address any of your misgivings. As the party official responsible for the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha elections, you could have reached me at any time. To send me a letter after the elections are over is incomprehensible," he said.