Shehzad Poonawalla’s decision to quit the BJP came after years of uncertainty over his political role, but the immediate reasons were financial and personal circumstances that required him to return to the private sector, the 38-year-old has said.
It seemed like a possible focus on issues affecting the middle class. In the programme, he asked whether taxpayers in India received services and infrastructure comparable to countries where tax rates are similar. He raised concerns over roads, schools, infrastructure, paper leaks, corruption and accountability.
A day before his second resignation letter, Poonawalla announced a new initiative called “The Manifesto” on Instagram.
The BJP national spokesperson submitted his resignation from all party posts and primary membership to party president Nitin Nabin on Monday. He also made it clear that his resignation was not a break with Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP’s ideology. “I am sticking to my decision. This came ahead of the BJP announcing a major reshuffle of its national office-bearers. The party appointed former Union minister Smriti Irani as one of its eight national general secretaries, while former national general secretary Ram Madhav was named a vice-president.
Because it is a voluntary position, he also said that the post of party spokesperson does not carry a salary. He first offered to resign on July 30, but the party asked him to reconsider.
Poonawalla said the party’s initial decision not to accept his resignation was “extremely touching” and he was grateful to the BJP for the opportunities he received over the last five years. “Due to pressing emergency financial and personal circumstances, I will move into the private sector, but wherever possible and in whatever format possible, I will continue to support the vision and work of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP,” he said. “I am only leaving the Vyavastha (organisation) not the Vyakti (people) or Vichar (ideology),” Poonawalla added. A spokesperson does not get a salary; it is a voluntary position,” he said. Poonawalla said the BJP remained, in his view, a strong platform for young and middle-class people entering politics. He also said the party had never stopped him from expressing his views independently and that disagreements were usually discussed internally.
